Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and “Squad” Democrat Ilhan Omar (D-MN) engaged in a heated debate after a rumor began spreading this week about the potential pardon of former police officer Derek Chauvin.
Following reports that Minnesota officials are bracing for civic turmoil if President Donald Trump pardons Chauvin for George Floyd’s killing in 2020, Green made a triumphant entry on Wednesday. After a trial that lasted less than a year, Chauvin received a 21-year federal prison term, with an additional 22.5 years tacked on for a state conviction.
While battling with Floyd, former officer Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for almost seven minutes—a move intended to subdue, but which two jurors determined caused Floyd’s death.
Since the trial, which sparked a national “racial reckoning” and the Black Lives Matter movement, conservatives have pushed for a reassessment of the case, claiming that Floyd’s chronic drug use was a factor in his demise.
Before Chauvin’s trial, a coroner determined that, although he did have fentanyl in his system and heart disease at the time of his death, none of these factors was the main reason. However, Greene thinks that Chauvin’s punishment was harsh because of the cultural zeitgeist of the time and believes that President Trump should pardon him.
“I strongly support Derek Chauvin being pardoned and released from prison. George Floyd died of a drug overdose,” the MAGA firebrand wrote on X.
Omar responded to Greene’s tweet with a post of her own.
“Absolutely vile. Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in a modern day lynching— it was chilling and intentional,” she wrote, adding, “Also hate to break it to you, Marjorie, but regardless of any potential pardon, Chauvin will remain in jail for his state conviction. He will forever be a convicted murderer in the eyes of the law and the world.”
But Greene was ready with a response of her own and she did not hold back.
“Busy day fighting Democrats. First Mike Lawler who is trying to destroy Trump’s agenda and now illegal alien Ilhan Omar of Somalia. Ilhan, you know what’s vile? Having sex with and marrying your brother!!!” Greene wrote in response to Omar.
Some in her area, including members of Minnesota’s tight-knit Somali community, claim that the accusation of incest is true, while Omar replied late Wednesday night by calling it a pornographic “fantasy” of the far-right.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), a fellow “Squad” member, joined the partisan squabble and denied that Floyd’s death was caused by drugs.
“You can lie to yourself all day, but the rest of us remember exactly what happened,” she wrote that same day.
Nevertheless, Greene was prepared with her receipts and promptly shared a copy of Floyd’s test result, which revealed that he had fentanyl and norfentanyl in his system.
“George Floyd died from a drug overdose. He was one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans killed by fentanyl that is trafficked across our border by cartels. Jasmine Crockett doesn’t care about Americans killed by drugs like George Floyd, she cares about protecting cartels from being deported,” she told her followers.
There has been no official announcement or response to the reports that surfaced this week regarding Trump possibly pardoning Chauvin. Some online have suggested that the rumor was started as a political talking point to attack Trump and Republicans.