You’d think congressional hearings would be the ultimate stage for serious dialogue—adults discussing important issues like national security, public health, or, you know, actual governance. But recently, it’s been looking a lot more like a dysfunctional family dinner where the grown-ups are yelling, the kids are confused, and the witnesses are stuck wondering, “How did I get here?”
Instead of meaningful discussions, we get lawmakers taking turns playing lead roles in the “I’m going to make this as dramatic as possible” production. But while Congress members can strut, shout, and pontificate for the cameras, the witnesses they drag in have to sit quietly like they’ve been handed a “do not engage” card. Here’s why that’s happening—and why witnesses can’t flip the table, no matter how much they might want to.
The Hall of Shame: When Congress Loses the Plot
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) clearly didn’t get the memo on how to behave in a hearing when, in July 2024, she decided that the best way to ask Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle a question was to start with, “You’re full of sh*t.” Imagine being in Cheatle’s shoes—you’re trying to explain why your team couldn’t secure a rally, and instead of engaging with actual information, you’re basically handed the congressional version of an insult slap. That’s Mace’s version of “oversight,” which seems to be less about facts and more about making sure she gets a spicy headline.
And then there’s Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). In the same month, Cruz went full-throttle into a baseless rant about favoritism in Secret Service protections, tossing around accusations with zero evidence. The goal here? To make sure he gets his moment on cable news, facts be damned. Cruz clearly missed the day in Senate training when they said, “Don’t turn your question time into a personal audition tape for conspiracy theorists.”
But the crown jewel of outrageous behavior goes to Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), who in September 2024 decided to take a page from the “let’s see how offensive I can be” playbook. He asked Maya Berry, an Arab American civil rights leader, if she supported Hamas (spoiler: she doesn’t). When Berry calmly denied it, Kennedy hit a new low, telling her to “hide her head in a bag.” And if that wasn’t bad enough, he said it like it was a totally rational suggestion, as if every Senate hearing needs its moment of casual racism.
Why Witnesses Can’t Fight Back (Even When They Want To)
Let’s be real: if someone told you to put a bag over your head during an official meeting, the natural instinct would be to either storm out or throw back some heat of your own. But witnesses in Congress can’t do that for a few very frustrating reasons:
1. Professionalism Is a One-Way Street
Unlike the lawmakers who seem to think they’re performing in an off-Broadway drama, witnesses are expected to maintain their composure. Maya Berry, for example, handled Kennedy’s ridiculous insult with the patience of a saint. If she’d fired back, Kennedy would have played the victim card faster than you can say “bad optics.” Instead, by keeping her cool, she let his remarks hang out there, naked and stupid, while she came out looking like the adult in the room oai_citation:14,GOP Sen. John Kennedy To Arab American Witness: ‘You Support Hamas, Don’t You?’.
2. Legal Obligations
If witnesses were hoping to pull a dramatic walkout, they’re out of luck. Most are there under subpoena, meaning they’re legally required to sit through the nonsense. If they walk out, they could be held in contempt of Congress, which is a fancy way of saying “you’re in trouble now, buddy.” Congress may act like a circus, but unfortunately, it’s one where you can’t just leave the tent.
3. Public Perception
While lawmakers seem to think getting angry is a way to win points with their base, witnesses can’t play that game. If they lose their temper or snap back, they risk their own reputations. The public sees witnesses as the experts—they’re there to provide facts, not emotion. Any outburst would just make headlines about how “unhinged” the witness was, while the Congress member skates away unscathed.
Defamation? Nice Try, but No
You might think that after being publicly accused of supporting terrorism (thanks, Kennedy), Maya Berry could file a defamation lawsuit. Unfortunately, the Speech or Debate Clause gives lawmakers immunity from legal action for anything they say during official proceedings. Yep, they can say pretty much whatever they want in a hearing and not worry about being dragged to court over it. So, as satisfying as it would be to see some of these lawmakers face real consequences for their words, the legal system isn’t going to deliver that justice.
The 118th Congress Hall of Shame
Let’s not pretend these tantrums are rare. This Congress has had more than its share of face-palm moments. Here are a few more examples of really bad behavior:
Congressperson: Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene (R)
Victim(s): Reps AOC & Jasmine Crocket
When: May 2024
Circumstances: Turned a House oversight meeting into a personal insult fest, proving once again she’s more interested in drama than policy oai_citation:3,Reps. Greene, AOC, Crockett get into insult-filled House hearing fight.
Congressperson: Rep. Tim Burchett (R)
Victim: Secret Service Director Cheatle
When: July 2024
Circumstances: Suggested Cheatle got her job because of diversity initiatives, calling her a “DEI horror story.”
Congressperson: Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D)
Victim(s): Various GOP Members
When: July 2024
Circumstances: Pivoted a hearing on Secret Service failures into a gun control rant, because why not throw in a completely unrelated topic?
Congress: Time to Grow Up
At the end of the day, Congress isn’t a reality show (despite all the evidence to the contrary). Our lawmakers were elected to get things done, not to turn hearings into personal platforms for their next viral moment. And while they might get their headlines, the only thing they’re really proving is that they’ve forgotten who they work for: us.
It’s time for Congress to leave the theatrics behind and get back to the business of governing—because while they’re busy staging their next tantrum, the real issues are being left to collect dust.
