Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) caused disarray at the end of Michael Cohen‘s hearing Wednesday when she accused fellow committee member Mark Meadows (R-NC) of a “racist act.”

As Tlaib spoke with Cohen, she blasted ranking member Meadows for inviting Housing and Urban Development official Lynne Patton to the Oversight hearing for the express purpose of pushing back on allegations of President Donald Trump‘s racism.

“Just to make a note, Mr. Chairman, just because someone has a person of color, a black person, working for them does not mean they aren’t racist, and it is insensitive that some would even — the fact that someone would actually use a prop, a black woman, in this chamber, in this committee is alone racist in itself.”

Meadows was apoplectic in response, and demanded Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) strike Tlaib’s remarks from the record. As Cummings tried to bring the chaos back under control, he asked Tlaib to rephrase her statement. She responded that she wasn’t calling Meadows a racist, but she accused him of committing a “racist act” by using Patton.

The proceedings nearly fell off the rails again as Meadows demanded to get a word in, hitting back at Tlaib by accusing her of racism for her suggestion.

“To indicate that I asked someone who is a personal friend of the Trump family, who has worked for him, who knows this particular individual, that she’s coming in to be a prop,? It’s racist to suggest that I ask her to come in here for that reason…She came in because she felt like the President of the United States is getting falsely accused.”

Cummings brought the hearing back in order by noting his close relationship with Meadows, acknowledging the congressman’s frustration, and by giving Tlaib one more chance to clarify her comments.

“That was not my intention and I do apologize if that’s what it sounded like,” Tlaib said.

Watch above, via C-SPAN.

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