Unless censure is a first step towards expulsion, it doesn't mean shit, even if it is, on paper, the second harshest thing Congress can do to a member (after expulsion). In Gosar's own backward congressional district, censure will only make him a martyr. Arizona may have gone against Trump last year-- but AZ-04 sure didn't. Biden didn't even get a third of the vote there, his worst performance-- by far-- in the state. AZ-04, the unproductive western part of the state consists of La Paz County, most of Mohave and Yavapai and signifiant parts of Yuma, Gila and Pinal counties. The PVI is R+22, worst in the state and, needless to say, the vaccination rates are low. (Mohave is not just Gosar's-- and fascism's-- most devoted stronghold, it is also the least vaccinated, just 37%. Trump won 74.9% of the backward county's votes last year.) Being censured by Congress will make Gosar a hero in the eyes of the sun-baked anti-American morons he represents.
According to a press release from Jackie Speier's office, Speier, chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, is being joined by DWC officers Brenda Lawrence (MI), Sylva Garcia (TX), Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Nikema Williams (GA) as well as by Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Jim Cooper (TN), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Eric Swalwell (CA) and Ayanna Pressley (MA) in a "resolution censuring Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-4) for posting an edited video on social media depicting himself as murdering Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden." Original co-sponsors today include Marcy Kaptur (OH), John Yarmuth (KY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Debbie Dingell (MI), Steve Cohen (TN), Jared Huffman (CA), Dwight Evans (PA), Barbara Lee (CA), Zoe Lofgren (CA), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Katherine Clark (MA), Earl Blumenauer (OR), Ilhan Omar (MN), Nydia Velázquez (NY), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Joaquin Castro (TX), Ritchie Torres (NY), André Carson (IN) and Raúl Grijalva (AZ).
“For a Member of Congress to post a manipulated video on his social media accounts depicting himself killing Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Biden is a clear cut case for censure. For that Member to post such a video on his official Instagram account and use his official congressional resources in the House of Representatives to further violence against elected officials goes beyond the pale,” the Members said. “As the events of January 6th have shown, such vicious and vulgar messaging can and does foment actual violence. Violence against women in politics is a global phenomenon meant to silence women and discourage them from seeking positions of authority and participating in public life, with women of color disproportionately impacted. Minority Leader McCarthy’s silence is tacit approval and just as dangerous.”
The video has been viewed millions of times and has received strong condemnation by Members of Congress, the press, and the public. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Rep. Gosar defended the video, calling it a “symbolic cartoon” and spreading hateful and false rhetoric about immigrants.
The Members plan to introduce the House Resolution on Friday during the next pro forma when the House is in session.
Gosar, a white nationalist and Trumpist coup plotter, defended the ugly, treasonous video as part of his fight against immigration and as just "symbolic." This is the official statement from his office yesterday:
“I do not espouse violence or harm towards any Member of Congress or Mr. Biden. The video depicts the fight taking place next week on the House floor and symbolizes the battle for the soul of America when Congress takes up Mr. Biden’s massive $4 trillion spending bill that includes amnesty for millions of illegal aliens already in our country and was not meant to depict any harm or violence against anyone portrayed in the anime. This video is truly a symbolic portrayal of a fight over immigration policy.
Congresswoman Cortez, whose image is shown in the fictional anime, represents the Democrats’ open border amnesty agenda included in the Build Back Better Plan. As a proud member of the open border caucus, she continues to defend and fight for these dangerous, immigration policies. By her own words, Congresswoman Cortez referred to the Customs and Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement as “rogue agencies that act to inflict harm on our communities” and sought to defund these agencies. The depiction of Mr. Biden pertains to his administration’s decision to leave the border open while illegal aliens invade from all points.
A chaotic and lawless wind is blowing across our land. Because of Joe Biden’s open border policies, our southern border in being invaded by illegal aliens. 2.3 million lawbreakers will pour into the United States this year. These numbers do not include the hundreds of thousands of “gotaways” who have escaped into the heartland of our country and were never counted.
Our country is suffering from the plague of illegal immigration. The cartoon depicts the symbolic nature of a battle between lawful and unlawful policies and in no way intended to be a targeted attack against Representative Cortez or Mr. Biden. It is a symbolic cartoon. It is not real life. Congressman Gosar cannot fly. The hero of the cartoon goes after the monster, the policy monster of open borders.
I will always fight to defend the rule of law, securing our borders, and the America First agenda.
America speaks:
