GOP Lawmaker ‘Screamed’ Expletives at Teenage Senate Pages
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A freshman Republican lawmaker has garnered condemnation from both sides of the aisle after he allegedly screamed in the faces of young Senate pages.
Representative Derrick Van Orden, a freshman Republican from Wisconsin, reportedly yelled profanity at a group of high-school-age Senate pages because they “defiled” the Capitol on Wednesday, according to a report.
According to the report, Orden came across a group of summer pages, which is part of a “prestigious” Senate tradition dating back to 1829. During their last week on the job, and after completing a long shift, a group of pages decided to take advantage of the empty rotunda so they could snap photos of the 470-foot dome.
Some of the pages decided that by lying on their backs on the floor, they could get an ideal photo of the building's dome. Doing so is a Senate page tradition, said one former page.
Van Orden, who had finished hosting a beer and cheese event with constituents and was leading a large tour group, came upon the pages as they were taking photos.
Per a source, here's a photo from last night of a bunch of alcohol in Van Orden's office. Van Orden and staff were heard partying loudly before he cursed out a group of teenage Senate pages pic.twitter.com/W6KF35nfWt
— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) July 27, 2023
The representative approached the group of pages and began yelling at them, calling them “jacka****” and pieces of s***.”
“Wake the f*** up you little s****. What the f*** are you all doing? Get the f*** out of here. You are defiling the place,” the 53-year-old Representative shouted at the group. “I don’t give a f*** who you are. I’m a congressman. My name is Derrick Van Orden, and I represent the 3rd District of Wisconsin,” the report claims, adding that he called the group “pieces of s***” multiple times.
The pages were visibly shaken, said a source.
Van Orden’s office released a statement regarding the incident, but did not dispute that the incident took place.
“The Capitol Rotunda served as a field hospital where countless Union soldiers died fighting to free men in the Civil War. I have long said our nation’s Capitol is a symbol of the sacrifice our servicemen and women have made for this country and should never be treated like a frat house common room. Threatening a congressman with bad press to excuse poor behavior is a reminder of everything that’s wrong with Washington," the statement from Van Orden's office read.
“I’m not going to apologize for making sure that anybody — I don’t care who you are and who you’re related to — defiles this House,” Van Orden also said on The Dan O’Donnell Show. “It’s not going to happen on my watch, man.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he was disturbed by the Republicans behavior and lack or remorse.
"I understand that late last night a member of the House majority thought it appropriate to curse at some of these young people," Schumer said Thursday on the Senate floor. "I was shocked when I heard about it. I am further shocked at his refusal to apologize."
Both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) condemned Van Orden’s behavior, with Tillis calling on him to apologize.
This is inexcusable and embarrassing behavior for a member of Congress or any adult for that matter. The Congressman should do the right thing and apologize. https://t.co/0bfhUBuXkT
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) July 29, 2023
Van Orden, who is a Donald Trump-endorsed retired Navy SEAL, was photographed attending the January 6, 2021 insurrection on Capitol Hill. The Representative has said that he took no part in the riot and did not set foot on Capitol grounds during the January 6 attacks.
