Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) grilled Reverend Al Sharpton on his history of bigoted comments about ethnic and religious communities at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday on policing practices. Rep. Gaetz cited comments made by Joe Scarborough from several years ago, before Scarborough and Sharpton became MSNBC colleagues.



The exchange became heated and several democrats called for points of order throughout, C-SPAN reported.





Congressman Gaetz: Have you ever referred to members of the Jewish faith as “white interlopers” or “diamond merchants”?



Mr. Sharpton: No sir I referred to one in Harlem, an individual.



Congressman Gaetz: Did you march next to a sign that said, “the white man is the devil”?



Mr. Sharpton: I have no recollection of that.



Congressman Gaetz: Have you ever referred to African Americans that disagreed with you as “cocktail-sip negros”?



Mr. Sharpton: I have.



Congressman Gaetz: Have you ever referred to African Americans who disagreed with you as “yellow,” and then the N-word?



Mr. Sharpton: I don’t know that I have…I’ve referred to people as names.



Congressman Gaetz: Have you ever referred to African Americans that disagreed with you as “negro militants”?



Mr. Sharpton: I don’t know, I don’t recall.