‘A Proud, Liberated Democrat’: Al Green Shrugs Off Censure
Congressman took to the House floor shortly after vote rebuking him
Al Green, the defiant Texas Democratic congressman who was censured Thursday, quickly returned to the House floor following his official rebuke, where he shrugged off the condemnation of his peers.
He clearly is unbowed and without regret for dramatically interrupting Donald Trump’s televised speech Tuesday evening before a joint session of Congress.
It was for that protest that the 78-year-old Green became the fourth Democrat to be censured by the House in recent years.
Green was censured by a vote of 224-198. Two members did not vote, and ultimately 10 Democrats joined Republicans to approve the censure.
None of that seemed to bother Green, who has represented the Houston area in Congress for 20 years.
“And still I rise, a proud, liberated Democrat — unbought, unbossed, and unafraid,” Green said.
Green made clear that he holds no animosity related to the censure, or Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision Tuesday evening to have him removed following his interruption.
“I want people to know that the speaker did what he was supposed to do,” he said. “He did what he was supposed to do when we had the joint session of Congress, when I interrupted, the speaker called it to my attention.
“He did it on multiple occasions. I have no reason in my heart to be upset with the speaker,” Green added.
But Green also made it clear that he had a reason for interrupting Trump Tuesday evening.
“I did so because the president indicated that he had a mandate to cut Medicaid, and I wanted him to know that he didn’t have a mandate to cut Medicaid,” Green said. “I did this because Medicaid is the only insurance many people have in this country.
“I am blessed as I stand here now, there’s a physician waiting. If something should happen, I will be taken to that physician. I have the best healthcare in the world. There are people who have less than I,” he said. “I would have them have what I have. But I surely will not stand by and I see them lose what little they do have.”
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