Marjorie Taylor Greene, Who Pushed 9/11 Conspiracies, Will Sit on Homeland Security Committee

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) received House committee assignments on Tuesday after the two representatives were stripped of their roles for suggesting violence against Democratic politicians. McCarthy also indicated that he will allow Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who is currently facing multiple investigations for lying to voters about key aspects of his identity and resume, a committee position. 

Greene was removed from the House Education and Labor Committee, and the Budget Committee in Feb. 2021. The move was prompted by backlash over statements she had made before her election into Congress, including posts on her social media indicating that “a bullet to the head” would be the quickest way to remove then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from her position. Greene was also revealed to harbor a belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory, have spread conspiracy theories about mass shootings, and suggested 9/11 was a hoax. 

In a video posted to social media prior to her election to Congress, Greene referred to the “so-called attack” on the Pentagon, claiming falsely to her followers that “there’s never any evidence shown for a plane in the Pentagon.” Greene also responded “that is all true” to a comment on Facebook arguing 9/11 had been orchestrated by the government. Greene would later state on the House floor that “9/11 absolutely happened.”

Greene will now serve on the House Homeland Security Committee. “I think it’s great,” McCarthy reportedly said on Tuesday.

Greene recently told Fox Host Tucker Carlson that she believes Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Majorkas should be impeached, a view that’s been expressed by several other Republicans since the party took control of Congress earlier this month. 

Rep. Gosar has been reinstated to his position in the House Committee on Natural Resources. Gosar was censured by the House and ousted from the role in Nov. 2021 after tweeting a gruesome edit of an anime battle sequence depicting himself killing fellow Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D N.Y.). Gosar had previously been criticized for speaking at a conference hosted by white nationalist Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. (Greene appeared as a speaker at the same conference in 2022.)

Greene and Gosar will also reportedly be sitting on the House Oversight Committee, as will fellow conspiracy theorist Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

Both of the representatives had a hand in the legislative efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which culminated in the Jan. 6 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol. As Rolling Stone previously reported, Greene met with organizers of the protests around the Capitol on Jan. 6 on multiple occasions leading up to the riot. Gosar was reportedly texting with “Stop the Steal” organizer Ali Alexander as the violence was unfolding in and around the Capitol. Alexander testified before the Jan. 6 committee that Gosar would relay information gathered from his meetings and conversation with Trump to him in the lead-up to Jan. 6. 

Gosar and Greene’s reinstatement to committee work comes as the GOP embarks on a revenge tour against their political opponents. Greene recently told podcast host Charlie Kirk that she is “ready for investigations to start, I’m ready for subpoenas.” McCarthy reportedly also promised Greene the opportunity to launch an investigation into former Speaker Pelosi. 

Veteran controversial members are regaining control within their caucus, but new controversial members aren’t being left out. George Santos, the recently sworn in congressman from Long Island, has spent his first days as a legislator dodging calls for his resignation after reports revealed he had lied about virtually every aspect of his background and resume. Despite Santos facing multiple federal, criminal, and ethics investigations, Speaker McCarthy said on Tuesday that the congressman will be in a position of influence. “He’ll get seated on committees,” McCarthy assured reporters.