Comstock hits back at Warren: ‘Perhaps you were getting a beer’ and missed ‘civility in politics’ class

Former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) fired back at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) after the likely presidential contender questioned whether the ex-lawmaker would “register as a lobbyist, or bob & weave around the rules?” 

Comstock was responding to a Warren tweet linking to a story from The Hill about the former representative being named senior adviser in Baker Donelson’s Government Relations and Public Policy Group.

{mosads}Comstock will also be a fellow at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School this spring. 

“Will @BarbaraComstock register as a lobbyist, or bob & weave around the rules? My #EndCorruptionNow bill would make it illegal for her to take a lobbying job as a former Congresswoman – & would fix the Swiss cheese definition of lobbying,” Warren wrote in a tweet on Monday. 

Will @BarbaraComstock register as a lobbyist, or bob & weave around the rules? My #EndCorruptionNow bill would make it illegal for her to take a lobbying job as a former Congresswoman – & would fix the Swiss cheese definition of lobbying. https://t.co/VHZP9wyqrh

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 4, 2019

Comstock fired back later, writing in a tweet: “Harvard IOP (Institute of Politics) invited me to be a Fellow this semester to discuss civility in politics. Perhaps you were getting a beer and missed that class?

.@ewarren Harvard IOP invited me to be a Fellow this semester to discuss civility in politics. Perhaps you were getting a beer and missed that class? https://t.co/13hRxRTRNN

— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) February 4, 2019 

Comstock was likely referring to an Instagram video from Warren, who taught at Harvard, in which she pauses and says: “Hold on a sec, I’m going to get me a beer.” She then returns with a bottle in her hand and invites her husband to join her.

President Trump ridiculed the moment, calling it “a beer catastrophe.”  

Best line in the Elizabeth Warren beer catastrophe is, to her husband, “Thank you for being here. I’m glad you’re here” It’s their house, he’s supposed to be there!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2019

Comstock hasn’t registered to lobby yet. Under current rules, she’s banned from lobbying Congress for a year after leaving office, but can lobby the administration. 

 The former Virginia GOP congresswoman was a registered lobbyist before she entered politics.

Warren’s bill includes a lifetime ban on lobbying by former lawmakers, presidents and top executive branch appointees, as well as other items intended to remove money from politics.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduced the bill in the House last Congress.