A House Oversight Committee hearing went haywire on Wednesday after Democratic New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury ranted following the Republicans’ decision to table a motion to subpoena Department of Government Efficiency Chair Elon Musk.
The motion was introduced by Democratic Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, who argued it was necessary due to Musk’s “prominence and his importance” in his role, but House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer asserted the motion was “not debatable.” As Republicans on the committee moved to table it following pushback from members who wanted to debate it, Stansbury raised what she claimed was a “point of order,” which Comer and other members disagreed with.
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“Mr. Chairman, I think it’s outrageous that this committee will not even entertain a motion,” Stansbury said before Comer and other members shouted, saying her statement was not a legitimate “point of order.”
Stansbury continued speaking while committee members yelled over her. She accused Musk of “breaking the law and dismantling our federal agencies and firing federal employees,” while also criticizing Comer for not considering Connolly’s motion.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk plan to merge U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) functions into the State Department. The agency is responsible for financing sizable grants for Palestinian programs, Afghan aid initiatives that contain a substantial risk of winding up in the hands of the Taliban and indirectly funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who now oversees the agency, also called USAID “completely uncooperative” with efforts to oversee spending. The agency is one of several that have seen workforce reductions.
“Let’s have order in this country,” Stansbury added.
“Ms. Stansbury, you’re out of order,” Comer said. “You know you’re out of order. You know the rules of this committee.”
Stansbury responded that Musk is the one who is “out of order.”
Afterward, a committee member requested a “recorded vote” on the motion to subpoena Musk, which Comer allowed. The motion ultimately failed on a party-line vote, with 20 members voting against and 19 in favor, according to Politico.
A member of the committee subsequently requested a “recorded vote” on the motion to subpoena Musk, which Comer allowed. The motion ultimately failed along party lines, with 20 members voting against and 19 in favor, according to Politico.
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