‘Outrageous!’: Matt Gaetz and Karen Bass Have Yelling Match During Committee Hearing – Complete with Table-Pounding

A House Judiciary Committee hearing turned into a belated July 4 fireworks display thanks to a heated exchange between Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Wednesday.

During a hearing on a Bass-sponsored bill about reproductive rights for incarcerated pregnant women, Gaetz took issue with phrases used by Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC), who referenced “women’s reproductive freedom” and “unborn children.”

Gaetz, whose turn it was to speak, said he was under the impression that the bill did not address abortion, “But this debate has me quite confused,” he said, before asking Ross if the bill allows for imprisoned women to have abortions.

“It doesn’t speak to that issue,” she replied. “Reproductive freedom also refers to women who choose to have children and want to have those children under the best possible circumstance, free of abuse.”

“So it’s not your contention then that bill makes it easier for women in prison to have an abortion?” Gaetz asked.

“Why don’t you ask me?” Bass, the bill’s sponsor, chimed in.

Ross told Gaetz to direct her questions to Bass.

Gaetz noted to Ross she had used the words “unborn child”

“What does that phrase mean to you?” he asked.

“Mr. Gaetz, Ms. Bass would like to answer your questions,” said Ross. “I am finished with you right now and I do not yield.”

Bass snickered in response.

“So that’s telling, right?” said Gaetz. “Ms. Bass, you didn’t use the words that were confusing.”

“Thank you!” she said.

“So I’m not gonna yield to you,” Gaetz said.

“It is my bill!” she shot back.

A torrent of crosstalk and yelling followed.

“It was Ms. Ross who used those words,” he said.

“So what?!” said Bass. “You’re not really interested in the answers. You’re interested in theater.”

Gaetz accused Bass of “covering” for Ross because “she doesn’t know the words she uses and cannot, in the Judiciary Committee sit and answer the questions on something as important as life or death when I control the time is outrageous!”

As he spoke, Gaetz pounded the table twice.

Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) slammed down his gavel.

“Are you done?” asked Bass.

“It’s Mr. Gaetz’s time,” Nadler reminded her.

The bickering continued back and forth and Gaetz accused Democrats of being in “such a rush to kill unborn life.”

Watch above via the House of Representatives.