Greene under fire for comparing mask policy to the Holocaust

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is again finding herself at the center of controversy after she compared House Democrats’ mask policy to the Holocaust. 

Greene raised eyebrows Friday when she called Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “mentally ill” and compared the House rule on masks to “a time in history when people were told to wear a gold star, and they were definitely treated like second-class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany.”

Those comments sparked broad pushback, with critics saying the comparison to the Holocaust was beyond the pale.

“You can never compare health-related restrictions with yellow stars, gas chambers & other Nazi atrocities. Such comparisons demean the Holocaust & contaminate American political speech. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene must immediately retract and apologize,” tweeted the American Jewish Congress.

You can never compare health-related restrictions with yellow stars, gas chambers & other Nazi atrocities.

Such comparisons demean the Holocaust & contaminate American political speech.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene must immediately retract and apologize.https://t.co/pdU8H8h2tO

— American Jewish Congress (@AJCongress) May 21, 2021

The Georgia firebrand’s remarks also drew bipartisan criticism from current and former lawmakers.

“Comparing wearing masks to the abuse of the Holocaust is a not so subtle diminution of the horrors experienced by millions. It’s a grotesque idiocy mixed with a neurotic lack of self awareness. What do you expect from a truther, Q believer, and gaslighting conspiracy theorist?” said former Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.), referencing conspiracy theories for which Greene has voiced support. 

Comparing wearing masks to the abuse of the Holocaust is a not so subtle diminution of the horrors experienced by millions. It’s a grotesque idiocy mixed with a neurotic lack of self awareness.

What do you expect from a truther, Q believer, and gaslighting conspiracy theorist? https://t.co/tkH1vIOAfb

— Denver Riggleman (@RepRiggleman) May 22, 2021

“The Holocaust: The systematic murder of 6 million Jews. Mask-wearing: A simple act that costs you nothing and saves lives. Marjorie Taylor Greene: A troubled person who is unfit to serve in Congress,” added Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who is Jewish.

The Holocaust: The systematic murder of 6 million Jews.

Mask-wearing: A simple act that costs you nothing and saves lives.

Marjorie Taylor Greene: A troubled person who is unfit to serve in Congress. https://t.co/pSEXRrqiTZ

— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) May 21, 2021

Controversy is not new for Greene, a vocal conservative who was elected in a rural Georgia district in 2020.

Greene was removed from her House committees earlier this year over past support for conspiracy theories such as QAnon and social media posts that appeared to advocate for violence against Democrats, including Pelosi.

Greene has also made remarks that critics have panned as antisemitic, including that the Rothschild banking firm is behind a supposed corporate conspiracy.

Her latest remarks come as Republicans rebuke a House requirement that everyone in the chamber wear masks despite guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can unmask in most settings. Democrats have said the rule is necessary since several GOP House members are still unvaccinated.