A Democratic congressman whose mother and stepfather died of COVID-19 during the pandemic on Wednesday slammed comments made by Republican firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene, who insisted on calling Dr. Anthony Fauci "Mr. Fauci," an overt attempt to discredit the nation's former top infectious disease expert over his handling of the pandemic.
At the hearing Monday, Fauci, the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was grilled by Republicans in a spectacle that featured prominent conspiracy theories such as claims that the true origin of the coronavirus was covered up, and that there was no scientific basis for social distancing.
Greene capitalized on her time by refusing to recognize Fauci as a doctor, refusing to let him answer questions, and saying he should be behind bars.
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“Mr. Fauci, because you’re not Doctor,” she said. “You’re Mr. Fauci in my few minutes."
She added: “Does not deserve to have a license. As a matter of fact, it should be revoked and he belongs in prison.”
For Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the disrespect toward Fauci felt personal — and warranted an equally curt response.
"Your 'so-called science' that the gentlewoman is referring to has saved millions of lives in this country and around the world, and I want to thank you for that," Garcia told Fauci, before highlighting some of Greene's past COVID-19 conspiracy theories.
And on Wednesday, Garcia explained to PEOPLE he felt it was important to join the GOP subcommittee and confront Greene because it was an opportunity to "push back on misinformation and conspiracy theories," and support doctors and scientists.
He minced no words chastising Greene for her comments insulting Fauci, calling them "completely shameful and disrespectful." He blasted the GOP leadership for putting Greene on the panel, noting it wasn't interested in "facts or science," but rather in turning the hearing into a "clown show."
"I don't think I've ever been more angry in a hearing," he said.
Garcia added: "We should have been focused on how we can do better for the next pandemic because there willbe a next pandemic. That hearing should have focused on questions like: Could we have done school closures in a better way? Could we have opened up businesses faster? Were there better ways of getting the vaccine to people when it was available?”
