Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Birthday Plea: Venmo Request for Beer Money Sparks Controversy
In a surprising turn of events, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent figure in the Republican party, took to her X account (formerly Twitter) with a rather unconventional birthday wish for her son. In what has been described as a bizarre post, she urged her followers to send her son beer money as he celebrated his 22nd birthday.
The Controversial Post: A Call for Cash
“It’s my baby boy’s birthday!! He’s 22!! I love him so much! Buy him a beer!” Greene wrote, alongside a link to her son Derek’s Venmo account. However, this post was short-lived, as it was swiftly deleted mere minutes after it went live.
Screenshots of the post quickly circulated among reporters, raising questions about the decision behind it. Was it indeed Greene herself who made the request, or could it have been an unauthorized use of her account?
(For more details on the incident, check out The New York Post’s coverage on Greene’s various social media activities.)
A Glimpse into the Greene Family’s Wealth
Following the deletion, Greene did not issue a follow-up message to acknowledge her son’s birthday, leaving many to ponder the implications of her social media antics. Greene, who is estimated to have a net worth of around $22 million, according to Quiver Quantitative, has faced criticism for openly soliciting gifts given her considerable wealth.
The peculiar request has led some critics to assert that this highlights a disconnect between Greene’s financial status and the economic challenges faced by many Americans today. Yashar Ali, a journalist, dissected this situation, tweeting, “Marjorie Taylor Greene, a sitting member of Congress who is worth many millions of dollars, posted a birthday message for her son—along with a link to his Venmo account, encouraging her supporters to send him money. This comes at a time of significant economic uncertainty in the United States.”
Ethical Questions and Potential Consequences
Beyond the social media faux pas, Greene’s request might attract scrutiny from watchdog organizations. While the post was made from her personal account, the House Ethics Committee has strict rules against members soliciting gifts. According to their guidelines, “A Member, officer, or employee may not ask for a gift for themselves or someone else, even if they could otherwise accept it under a Gift Rule exception.”
Similar Cases in Congress
This isn’t the first time a member of Congress has faced backlash for attempting to capitalize on their celebrity status for personal gain or for their loved ones. For example, Rep. Lauren Boebert once set up a Cameo account to provide personalized video messages, only to take it down after facing ethical concerns.
As Greene’s largely forgotten birthday request leaves more questions than answers, it serves as a reminder of the complex relationship between wealth, politics, and social media engagement. Whether Greene’s followers will be inclined to heed her request for financial contributions remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: this incident will not quickly fade from public discourse.
In the ever-evolving landscape of political fundraising and personal branding, Greene’s post stands out as a unique chapter in the ongoing narrative of ethics in Congress.
