Even the most patient of people can become exasperated by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas). One of Congress’ more colorful and bewildering personalities, the far-right Texan has an unsettling habit of making truly ridiculous comments, out loud and on purpose, for reasons few even try to understand.
Attorney General Eric Holder, for example, appears to have no patience left for Gohmert, as was evident in a House Judiciary Committee hearing today.
While being questioned about the Justice Department’s reluctance to hand over documents related to the prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation, a Texas-based Islamic charity that was shut down by the government for funding Hamas, Gohmert brought up how the House held Holder in contempt of Congress two years ago over the Fast and Furious gun running scandal.
Gohmert said “contempt is not a big deal to our attorney general,” to which the Attorney General responded, “You don’t want to go there buddy, all right? You don’t want to go there, OK?”
After some additional back and forth, Holder tried to explain to Gohmert, “You should not assume that this is not a big deal to me. I think that it was inappropriate. I think it was unjust. But never think that that was not a big deal to me. Don’t ever think that.”
About a year ago, Gohmert was spouting some conspiracy theories about the Boston Marathon bombing, and when Holder was dismissive, the congressman began ranting incoherently.
Gohmert eventually proclaimed, “I cannot have a witness challenge my character! The attorney general will not cast aspersions on my asparagus!”
With this in mind, though the video clip omitted this part, a clearly annoyed Holder ended his exchange with Gohmert today by saying, “Good luck with your asparagus.”
He was not trying to be funny.
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Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."