FACT CHECK: Did Chip Roy Call Jerry Nadler ‘Dumb’?
A video shared on Facebook claims Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy called Democratic New York Rep. Jerry Nadler “dumb.”
Verdict: False
There is no evidence to suggest Roy made such a remark about Nadler. The video included in the post does not show the alleged remark.
Fact Check:
Roy recently introduced legislation in the House to lift the mandatory retirement age of airline pilots from 65 to 67 in an attempt to correct airline staff shortages, according to Reuters. Prior to that, he was the focus of media attention after criticizing Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for allegedly planning to endorse Democrat Beto O’Rourke in Texas’ upcoming gubernatorial election.
Now, a widely shared Facebook video claims he recently called a fellow congressman dumb. “‘You’re So Dumb’ – Brave Chip Roy Mocks Jerry Nadler During Jan. 6 Committee Hearing,” reads the video’s caption. The video shows several clips of Nadler and Roy speaking on the House floor.
There is, however, no evidence that Roy called Nadler “dumb.” There are no credible news reports suggesting Roy made such a comment about Nadler or any other member of Congress. No such statement appears on Roy’s congressional website or on his verified social media accounts.
Additionally, neither Roy nor Nadler serve on the Jan. 6 committee, according to the committee’s website. (RELATED: FACT CHECK: Did Jim Jordan Tell Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez To ‘Go Back To Bartending?’)
The nearly 13-minute video includes a clip of Nadler commenting during a House Judiciary Committee markup hearing in June that Roy endorsed “turning guns on American troops.” A second clip shows both congressmen sparring over defunding the police and federal spending during a different House Judiciary Committee hearing last month. Neither of the men calls the other “dumb” at any point.
Another clip features Roy sharply criticizing government spending on the House floor. In the final clip, Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton questions U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth about the army combat fitness test. None of the people in the clips call Nadler or anyone else “dumb.”
Check Your Fact reached out to Roy and Nadler’s offices for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.