Rep. Andrew Clyde's (R-GA) rebuke of Democratic Del. Stacey Plakett (USVI) for calling President Donald Trump a felon earned groans both online and on the House floor.
Plaskett was censured by the House on Tuesday over revelations she inappropriately coordinated and communicated with Jeffrey Epstein during a congressional hearing in 2019. The Washington Post reported on newly released documents showing Plaskett exchanged texts with the sex offender while she participated in a House Oversight grilling of Michael Cohen, former attorney and "fixer" for Trump. The censure resolution said she incorporated Epstein’s suggestions into her line of questioning, and reflecting poorly on the House.
The resolution also removed Plaskett from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and triggered an Ethics Committee probe into the extent of her ties to Epstein.
During a fiery response on the House floor, Plaskett took a shot at her colleagues.
"You don't want to talk about what is really happening here," she said. "Your attacks on working families. Your protection of powerful predators and corporate criminals. You want to talk about texting? Texting felons? How often do you text President Donald J. Trump? That's the individual we should be concerned about."
Her scathing clapback was met with a slap on the wrist from Clyde in the form of a point of order.
"The point of order is you may not call the President of the United States a felon," he retorted.
His response drew audible groans, including from one person who can be heard shouting back, "Shut up."
Online critics also spoke out over the exchange.
Markus Batchelor, national political director for People For the American Way, cracked up over the clip, writing on X, "That 'Shut UP' was the Blackest thing I’ve heard on the House Floor."
Progressive influencer Alex Cole noted Plaskett said nothing incorrect about the president.
"Donald Trump is literally a convicted felon," he said.
Fellow progressive Lucas Sanders questioned on X, "What do you say to him?"
The popular PatriotTakes account noted simply, "Trump is a felon."
