Lawmakers applaud after Democrat apologizes for GOP colleague’s outburst

Lawmakers applauded Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) after he apologized on behalf of all congress members following GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s (Wisc.) latest outburst at a group of federal workers.

Crow apologized to the Biden administration briefers, prompting a bipartisan round of applause, during the Wisconsin lawmaker’s questioning, which some described as “rude” and “obnoxious”, according to Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), per comments confirmed by her office to The Hill.

Crow’s office confirmed the Colorado lawmaker apologized to the briefers.

Van Orden called the White House briefers, who were filling lawmakers in on attacks in the Israel-Hamas conflict, “incompetent” and told them he knew more about the situation after “having served two tours of duty in the Middle East”, according to Chu’s office. 

“He was rude and attacked the presenters,” Chu told Politico. “I thought they had very substantive things to say. But he just had this blanket attack saying that, ‘This is the worst information I’ve ever had.’ And basically attacking them for being incompetent.”

Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), yelled “shame on you” as a response to Van Orden’s conduct — before Van Orden retaliated against Phillips with an f-bomb, according to Politico.  

Senate leadership has recently denounced Van Orden for profanity on a separate occasion, following an outburst at Senate pages in July.

Politico was the first outlet to report the briefing incident.