Who is Al Green? Texas congressman kicked out of Trump’s address has history of protest
The Texas Democrat brought articles of impeachment against Donald Trump multiple times during his first term and threatened to do it again in his second.
Rep. Al Green generated reactions from across the political spectrum after being ushered out of the U.S. Capitol during President Donald Trump's joint congressional address on Tuesday night.
Green, 77, protested Trump's speech by standing up from his seat in the chamber, saying, "You don't have a mandate." He was ordered to leave the room and later told reporters he was "also working on my articles of impeachment."
The moment was widely circulated online Tuesday night as supporters and critics weighed in on Green's decision to protest during the address.
Here's what to know about Green after he was removed from Trump's congressional address.
Who is Al Green?
Green, a Texas Democrat, has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005.
The New Orleans native has spent two decades representing the state’s ninth congressional district, which includes the southwestern part of the greater Houston area.
Green was reelected in November after running unopposed. He is also involved in the Committee on Homeland Security and Financial Services Committee.
Green has a reputation for disruption
This week was far from Green’s first protest – or his first time going up against Trump.
The Texas Democrat brought articles of impeachment against the president multiple times during Trump's first term and threatened to do it again in his second.
His work as a civil rights advocate began years before the 45th president's Inauguration. In 2012 he was arrested outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington, D.C., alongside actor George Clooney and fellow activist Martin Luther King III, to protest the humanitarian crisis in the country at the time.
Rodney Ellis, a Harris County Commissioner in Houston and longtime friend of Green, said the congressman has long been an "unwavering" champion for civil rights causes, including combatting police brutality.
"Always very much an activist," Ellis said of Green. "Last night was a continuation of that."
Ellis said he spoke to Green Wednesday, the morning after Trump's address, though the pair did not discuss whether Green went into the event knowing he would interrupt the president. Ellis said whether planned or spontaneous, he believes Green "put some thought into it."
"It took a lot of courage to do that," Ellis said.
"I'm sure when he did it, he was aware of the potential consequences and criticisms," Ellis added.
Green went to law school, held several positions throughout his decades-long career
Green didn't earn an undergraduate diploma but attended several HBCUs (historically Black colleges or universities), including Howard University, Florida A&M University, and Tuskegee Institute, also known as Tuskegee University.
In 1973, he acquired his Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and then co-founded a law firm.
During his career, the congressman was the president of the Houston branch of NAACP, holding that position for a decade, the Houston Chronicle reported. He helped boost membership for the chapter and solidified the civil rights non-profit's headquarters in the city.
Green also served as a Justice of the Peace in Harris County, Texas, until 2004. That same year, he was elected into the U.S. House of Representatives.
He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
How many times did Green try to impeach Trump?
Green was the first Democrat in Congress to push for Trump's impeachment back in 2017.
"It's a position of conscience for me," Green said at the time. "This is about what I believe. And this is where I stand. I will not be moved. The president must be impeached."
Additionally, he voted in favor of Trump's impeachment in 2019 and 2021.
Contributing: Riley Beggin, Anthony Robledo, Paste BN
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for Paste BN. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.