Former Republican Representative Ken Buck took aim at Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene on Monday for "getting her talking points from the Kremlin" and being "on the wrong side of history."
Buck, 65, retired from the House in March - saying that Congress had "devolved into this bickering and nonsense."
While speaking with CNN's Erin Burnett, Buck excoriated Greene for her position on sending aid to Ukraine - nicknaming the congresswoman "Moscow Marjorie."
"We know that Russia is propagating these false statements, narratives, about what's going on in Ukraine," Buck told CNN. "We know that she is getting her talking points from Russia. And we know that they're false and Mike Johnson is doing the responsible thing by trying to make sure we get a vote on Ukraine funding, make sure that the Ukrainian people can fight for their freedom."
Greene has a history of disseminating false information about the Ukraine war, both on social media and in Congress. In one instance, she shared a fake news story alleging that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used aid money to buy two yachts. Senator Thom Tillis subsequently told CNN that aid distribution talks stalled in Congress, at least partially because politicians were worried that "people will buy yachts with this money."
Last week, Greene warned Speaker Mike Johnson that she was "not backing off" in her quest to remove him from the speakership - at least in part due to his position on sending aid to Ukraine.
"I'm not saying I have a red line or a trigger, and I'm not saying I don't have a red line or trigger. And I think that's just where I'm at right now," she told CNN. "But I'm going to tell you right now: Funding Ukraine is probably one of the most egregious things that [Johnson] can do."
During his CNN interview, Buck raised objections to a number of Greene's comments - with particular emphasis on her recent suggestion to Tucker Carlson that Johnson was being blackmailed into supporting a Ukraine bill.
"So many of the statements that Marjorie has made over the years are completely irresponsible," Buck said.
"The idea that somehow the Speaker is corrupt, because he believes that we should be supporting an ally that's been invaded by a war criminal, Vladimir Putin, and the idea that somehow anybody who is in agreement with Ukraine and our NATO allies, is corrupt. It's just another distraction that she uses to take away from the core arguments that are so important."
