'The View' co-hosts call out Democratic lawmaker over profanity-laced rant directed at staffers: 'Verbal abuse'
"The View" co-hosts called out Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee on Monday after she was allegedly heard berating one of her staffers in a profanity-laced rant captured on an audio recording.
"The View" co-hosts criticized Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, after she allegedly went off on one of her staffers in a profanity-laced rant, calling members of her staff "f--- ups."
Co-host Ana Navarro said she can cuss in five languages but said there was a difference between that and "cussing someone out."
"I think there’s a difference between cussing and cussing somebody out, denigrating them. This was verbal abuse. It's so bad that we can't even play a little bit of it," Navarro said.
"It's emotional abuse, it's toxic, and frankly if she was anything other than a congresswoman she'd probably be taken to HR and fired, buts since there's no Speaker, who is going to censure her? Who is going to take her to the ethics committee?" she continued.
"The View" co-host Ana Navarro criticizes Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee over profanity laced rant.
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Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin said Jackson Lee was always rated one of the worst bosses on Capitol Hill.
"It was an open secret… She in 2018, ranked the worst for having the highest turnover rate, 11 different chiefs of staff in 11 years… The arrogance – well, A, it’s just wrong and mean, but also the arrogance of doing it for so many years and just thinking you can get away with it and you won’t get caught. In any other business in America, corporate America, you could not talk to somebody like that and keep your job," Griffin said.
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg argued that being cussed out was "sometimes part of how some of us grew up," and said her staff should leave Jackson Lee's office if it was a toxic environment for them.
"Listen, being cussed out is sometimes part of how some of us grew up. When adult folks go off, especially women when they go off because they’re not going to hit you, they’re going to cuss you out. So, you know, I think if you are in an environment that is toxic for you, that you should leave it," Goldberg said.
U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) speaks in a news conference to discuss the House Judiciary Committee's oversight agenda following the Mueller Hearing in Washington, U.S. July 26, 2019. (REUTERS/Erin Scott)
Navarro called her out again for not owning up to the recording and speaking out about wanting to do better.
Goldberg also said staffers should "grow a couple of pairs" and speak up if they're being mistreated.
"Power dynamics do not force you to stay in a place where you are being mistreated," she said.
Co-host Sunny Hostin told viewers that she has been spoken to in a similar way, and said it was "hurtful" and "harmful."
"The View" co-hosts criticized Sheila Jackson Lee on Monday. (Left: (Lou Rocco/ABC via Getty Images), Center: (Photo by Joshua Roberts/Getty Images) Right: (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images))
Jackson Lee was heard berating one of her staffers on an audio recording obtained by Texas newspaper Current Revolt.
"When I called Jerome, he only sits up there like a fat [expletive], just talking about what the [expletive] he doesn’t know," she said. "Both of y’all are [expletive]-ups…This is the worst [expletive] that I could’ve ever had put together. Two [expletive] big [expletive] children. [expletive] idiots. Serve no [expletive] purpose.
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