Marjorie Taylor Greene accused by CNN panel of using 'weasel words' to avoid criminal charges
According to two CNN analysts, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) may have ducked criminal prosecution for perjury, among other crimes, with her carefully chosen words before an administrative law judge on Friday.
The controversial lawmaker was peppered with questions by a lawyer representing clients attempting to make the case that she should be banned from the ballot due to her alleged connection to the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 as lawmakers attempted to certify the election of now-President Joe Biden.
During the nationally televised questioning, Greene repeatedly claimed that she did not recall meetings or conversations she had with fellow GOP lawmakers or the White House and pinned the blame for inflammatory tweets from her Twitter account on staffers.
CNN's Laura Jarrett -- who attended Harvard Law School -- claimed that Greene was trying to avoid committing perjury.
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After sharing clips of Greene's testimony, "New Day" host John Berman asked, "Would there be grounds for perjury there?"
"That alone is not going to get her in the crosshairs for perjury," Jarrett replied. "I think part of the issue here is that this is happening in an administrative law case, it's sort of a weird procedural posture. It's not a criminal case, it's not a civil case, it's because the voters are trying to hold her accountable and get her kicked off the ballot which means they don't have a fully developed record."
"All of the stuff that the lawyer is questioning her about is just in the public record," she elaborated. "She could have said a whole bunch of stuff we don't know about that they could have cross-examined her with and if she would have lied it about it knowingly that could be perjury. She didn't; she's under oath, has to tell the truth, but when she says 'I don't know, I don't recall, I don't remember,' all of those hedges sort of insulate her. It's not a defense to perjury but insulates her and it's her way of protecting herself when, of course, she knows she could be in jeopardy of perjury if not careful."
CNN John Avalon then chimed in, explaining there is a long way to go before the lawmaker could be charged with criminality.
"We don't have the full January 6 report, we don't know what the members of Congress did," he explained. "If it ultimately comes out with clear evidence that members of Congress aided or abetted this insurrection attempt, then that can be a real conversation. This seems to be premature and risks a degree of political backlash. She has a primary coming up, a general election, this is a heavily Republican district, but the voters are the ones to hold her accountable."
He then smirked and added, "When she says 'I don't remember,' those are weasel words, let's be real."
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