Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Sheila Jackson LeeHillicon Valley: Murky TikTok deal raises questions about China's role | Twitter investigating automated image previews over apparent algorithmic bias | House approves bill making hacking federal voting systems a crime House approves legislation making hacking voting systems a federal crime Lawmakers press CDC for guidance on celebrating Halloween during pandemic MORE (D-Texas) chided acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker for behaving in an unacceptable manner during a confrontational House Judiciary Committee hearing Friday.

“Mr. attorney general, we are not joking here,” Jackson Lee said. “And your humor is not acceptable.”

The tense exchange came as the congresswoman asked Whitaker a series of yes or no questions about his role at the Justice Department and oversight of special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s investigation. Members often asked yes or no questions during oversight hearings in order to cycle through more inquiries within the five-minute time limit they have for questions.

Whitaker tries to run out the clock instead of answering @JacksonLeeTX18's extremely straightforward question about if he's testified during an oversight hearing before.



"Mr attorney general, we are not joking here and your humor is not acceptable," she admonishes him. pic.twitter.com/LP0aaikYre — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 8, 2019

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At one point, Jackson Lee was interrupted and asked for her time to be restored.

“Can the clock be restored?” Jackson Lee asked.

Whitaker quipped in response, “I don’t know if your time has been restored or not.”

Jackson Lee then chastised Whitaker for his humor and said he was there “because we have a constitutional duty to ask questions and the Congress has the right to establish government rules.”

“The rules are that you are here, so I need to ask the question and I need to have my time restored so that you can behave appropriately, I will behave appropriately as a member of the Judiciary Committee,” Jackson Lee said.

Whitaker earlier had offered a cheeky response to Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), telling him that his “five minutes is up” for questioning.

It is remarkable for a witness to make such a comment to a chairman, as lawmakers from both parties routinely go over their allotted time.

It is not unusual for witnesses to avoid giving yes or no answers to questions from committee members, something noted by the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, Rep. Doug Collins Douglas (Doug) Allen CollinsLoeffler paints herself as 'more conservative than Attila the Hun' in new campaign ad Vulnerable GOP incumbents embrace filling Supreme Court seat this year Georgia GOP Senate candidates cite abortion in pushing Ginsburg replacement MORE (Ga.)

After her remark, Jackson Lee went on to pepper Whitaker with a series of yes or no questions, many of which he declined to answer outright.

Whitaker’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee on Friday morning was his first time appearing before Congress. Whitaker repeatedly butted heads with Democrats on the committee in the early minutes of the hearing.

Whitaker faced several questions on his oversight and past statements about Mueller’s investigation, as well as his interactions with President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE and other White House officials.

In several instances, Whitaker declined to answer questions about the Mueller investigation, noting that the probe is ongoing and that speaking about it would be inappropriate.

Whitaker has emerged as a controversial figure since Trump tapped him to helm the Justice Department in November after Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsGOP set to release controversial Biden report Trump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status MORE's ouster as attorney general. Whitaker has specifically been scrutinized for critical statements he made about Mueller's investigation before joining the department.

Whitaker testified repeatedly Friday that he has not "interfered" in Mueller's probe — something that Democrats and other Trump critics have raised concerns about.