REPS LIEU AND JACKSON LEE CALL FOR ETHICS INVESTIGATION INTO GOSAR’S VIOLENT VIDEO
WASHINGTON — Last week, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Ted Lieu asked, along with other Members of Congress, for the Republican Leader of the House, Leader McCarthy, to publicly request a House Ethics Committee Investigation of Congressman Gosar's actions.
On Sunday, November 7th, 2021, Congressman Paul Gosar shared a grotesque video on Twitter in which his face and those of several other Republican Members of the House are edited into the opening credits of the Netflix Anime series, Attack on Titan. The one minute and thirty-two-second video depicts – among other things, Congressman Gosar attacking a character superimposed with the face of a fellow Democratic Member. Congressman Gosar is then seen delivering a fatal blow to the back of the Democratic Member's neck, which is depicted as a monster, and blood is seen gushing from the wound. The video also depicts Congressman Gosar leaping at President Biden while brandishing two swords.
"I am deeply disturbed by the actions of Rep. Gosar this week. Seeing a Member of Congress post a video depicting himself killing a colleague and attacking the President should give us all pause. In any other workplace in America, this would be grounds for being fired. After the violent insurrection levied on the Capitol—our nation's most sacred legislative body—my colleagues and I cannot sit idly by and allow a sitting Member of Congress to spew vitriol and hatred. I am calling on Leader McCarthy and my Republican colleagues to pursue disciplinary action against Rep. Gosar immediately," said Congressman Lieu.
"The glorification of violence that is expressed in the video shared by Congressman Gosar goes far beyond the protections afforded by the Speech and Debate Clause in the Constitution and is beneath the dignity and behavior expected of a person serving in the Congress of the United States. Congressman Gosar's actions have really stunned us. It's simply unheard of for a Member of Congress to blatantly raise up the spectre of violence against a fellow Member of Congress and the President of the United States—simply shocking. Threats of violence against Members of Congress and the President of the United States cannot ever be tolerated. Leader McCarthy must condemn this horrific video and call on the House Ethics Committee and/or the Department of Justice to investigate these acts. Congressman Ted Lieu and I have requested for Leader McCarthy to request a public investigation. It is impossible to carry on the business of the United States Congress if a fellow Member of the House of Representatives proves to be a deadly threat to another Member of the same body and the President of the United States. That is a direct attack on Democracy and the life and limb of these public servants. Leader McCarthy must publicly insist on the condemnation of this horrific video as well as a full investigation with the possibility of censure or expulsion of this member," said Congresswoman Jackson Lee.
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