Dems call for censure of GOP congressman over violent video

WASHINGTON – Ten House Democrats, led by the co-chairs of the Democratic Women's Caucus, said Wednesday that they volition present a House solution condemning Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., for tweeting a video that included altered animation showing him striking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., with a sword.

In a statement, the 10 Democrats said Gosar's posting “goes beyond the pale” and called it a “clear chopped lawsuit for censure.”

“As the events of January 6th person shown, specified vicious and vulgar messaging tin and does foment existent violence," the Democrats said. "Violence against women successful authorities is simply a planetary improvement meant to soundlessness women and discourage them from seeking positions of authorization and participating successful nationalist life, with women of colour disproportionately impacted.”

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The Democrats, including DWC co-chairs Jackie Speier of California and Brenda Lawrence of Michigan, said they volition present the censure solution Friday.

Gosar, R-Ariz., posted the video Sunday day with a enactment saying, “Any anime fans retired there?” On Tuesday, helium issued a connection saying the video wasn’t meant to picture harm oregon violence, calling it alternatively “a symbolic portrayal of a combat implicit migration policy.”

The astir 90-second video is an altered mentation of a Japanese anime clip, interspersed with shots of Border Patrol officers and migrants astatine the confederate U.S. border. During 1 astir 10-second conception of the video, animated characters whose faces person been replaced with Gosar and chap Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado are seen warring different animated characters.

In 1 scene, Gosar’s quality is seen striking the 1 made to look similar Ocasio-Cortez successful the cervix with a sword.

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In a tweet Monday night, Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., referred to Gosar arsenic “a creepy subordinate I enactment with” and said helium “shared a phantasy video of him sidesplitting me.” She added that Gosar would look nary consequences due to the fact that Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy “cheers him connected with excuses.”

In their connection Wednesday, the House Democrats said that "McCarthy’s soundlessness is tacit support and conscionable arsenic dangerous.”

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