Text Messages Don’t Lie But CNN’s Jim Acosta Might

Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and CNN anchor Jim Acosta had it out Thursday over a text message she’d sent calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “a traitor.”

Greene attended a Friday court testimony over her involvement in the Capitol riot and whether she called for martial law prior to President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Several text messages written by Greene were collected to link her to the “Stop the Steal” rally.

Acosta confronted Greene specifically about the text messages when she called Pelosi a “traitor” and called for former President Donald Trump to issue martial law.

“You know, Jim, you have a show, and in all fairness, you try to present this image of me to your viewers and it’s just really not correct,” Greene said.

“Well, we’re just trying to get some answers,” Acosta said. “Did you send a text asking the president to declare martial law? Did you do that?”

Greene said she did “not recall” making those statements.

“Why don’t you be honest? You know, your problem is you’re just one of those liars on television and people hate it,” Greene said. “They can’t stand the liars on television.”

“I’m not the one saying, ‘I don’t recall, I don’t recall, I don’t recall,’” Acosta said.

At that point, Acosta pulled up the text message on his phone. Greene then pointed to a sentence where she reportedly said she did “not know on those things.”

“Why don’t you tell that story? You’re lying,” Greene said. “You’re a liar. Do you know why people do not like you? Because you’re a liar. Why do you want to lie on television for your viewers? You’re accusing me of something and then when you read the actual words it tells another story. It tells the truth. … When you want to be honest and you actually want to talk about me as a real person and present me fairly, then I’ll talk to you. But until then, I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”

Acosta pressed the Greene on whether she will testify if subpoenaed by the January 6 committee, which she vehemently refused to answer.

“Stop harassing me,” she said. “I’m not subpoenaed, stop harassing me.”

“I’m just trying to ask you some questions,” Acosta noted.

“You’re not, I didn’t give you permission to. Leave me alone,” she said.

Acosta questioned her recent statement concerning the Catholic Church, where she said the church “must stop abusing children and stop covering up the abuse of children.” She told the CNN host to read her statement and accused him of lying about her.

“We’re not trying to lie about you,” Acosta began. “We’re very politely, professionally trying to ask you a question.”

“No, you’re politely and unprofessionally lying, because that’s what you are: a liar. A professional liar,” Greene said. “Good for you. Way to earn a paycheck.”

A federal judge approved an effort by the nonpartisan group, Free Speech for People, to disqualify Greene from re-election over her alleged involvement in the January 6 riot. Greene’s lawyer, James Bopp Jr., called the ruling “fundamentally antidemocratic” and claimed Greene had condemned the riots.