Protesters gatecrashed a press conference held by Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene outside the DOJ

marjorie taylor greene
Protesters showed up at a press conference where Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Matt Gaetz were speaking. The lawmakers told the press that they were there to ask questions about how the Capitol riot suspects are being treated in detention.
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, and three GOP lawmakers held a press event while Capitol police officers testified before the House select committee.
  • The House Republicans spoke up for the Capitol riot suspects, calling them "political prisoners."
  • The news conference was cut short by protesters waving signs.
  • See more stories on Insider's business page.

While four Capitol police officers gave moving testimonies on the January 6 Capitol riot, GOP lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz held a press conference outside the Department of Justice to question the treatment of Capitol riot defendants in detention.

On July 27, the House select committee gathered to listen to officers' testimonies about the racism and physical harm they were subjected to by attackers who unleashed violence upon them during the Capitol riot.

Meanwhile, Greene and Gaetz held their own news conference with three other GOP congressmen - Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert, and Virginia Rep. Bob Good. At a podium outside the DOJ, the lawmakers addressed claims made by individuals charged in connection with the January 6 riots - who they called "political prisoners" - that they were beaten by guards and put in solitary confinement.

"We're wondering why questions that have been asked by colleagues for months have gone unanswered," said Gaetz. "Antifa and BLM set fires to this country for months and we did not see an interest from federal law enforcement on those claims."

"I'm happy to be joined by my colleagues here. We want to know how the detainees are being treated inside the jail. We would like to know many other things," Greene said.

The event was gatecrashed by a small group of protesters, who were seen waving signs calling the lawmakers "traitors," "rapists," and "pedophiles," the last of which is likely a reference to an ongoing DOJ investigation into whether Gaetz had sex with a minor. Gaetz has denied these allegations.

Greene appeared distracted by the protesters, and at one point acknowledged a person who was blowing a whistle loudly and interrupting her.

"We are not deterred. For anyone that's here being an activist and yelling today, here's a statement that I need everyone to understand - we will not back down, we will not stop asking questions, we are looking for the truth," Greene said.

Shortly after she spoke, the press conference was halted and the five lawmakers were seen being moved away from the podium.

Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney told reporters the protest by the five lawmakers outside the DOJ was a "disgrace."

"The fact that so many members of our leadership and others, the fact that they've gone from recognizing what happened on the 6th to protesting in front of the DOJ on behalf of those who are part of the insurrection, is something that I can't explain," Cheney said.

Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger are the two Republicans who were nominated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to sit on the panel investigating the events of January 6.

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