The father of a young woman who died of a fentanyl overdose has slammed Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for heckling President Joe Biden when she told the story of the 20-year-old’s death.
In an interview with The Independent, Doug Griffin, who considers himself a Republican, said that it was “really bad” for Greene to have timed him “in a time of honor.”
“I think he crossed the line,” he said.
Griffin’s daughter, Courtney, died of a fentanyl overdose in 2014, a loss her New Hampshire father said was the worst pain he’s ever experienced. The White House invited him to his State of the Union address, where Biden told the family’s story as he called for a crackdown on fentanyl production and trafficking.
Republicans, unhappy with Biden’s immigration policies on the US southern border, began to jeer during the ceremony. Someone shouted “Your fault!” while Greene’s voice was heard shouting “From China!”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) appeared to shush members of his own party during the exchange.
“I traveled far for me and my wife to be there to hear and [Greene] crossed the line and broke the momentum of the minute,” Griffin said of the lawmakers’ outburst.
Griffin told The Independent that he feels the average person may not understand the depth of the fentanyl crisis and appreciates the Biden administration’s efforts to address it. He called for more funding for grassroots programs and increased efforts at prevention and education.
“We’re losing people because people aren’t educated about it,” he said. “I think if I knew what I was doing now, I think I could have saved him.”
Greene repeatedly interrupted Biden with loud outbursts during his speech, prompting McCarthy to interrupt him on several occasions.