Gosar censured and stripped of committees
Vote in U.S. House of Representatives largely follows party lines
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday censured Congressman Paul Gosar, (R-Ariz.), and removed from him from committee assignments for posting a violent video on social media. It's the first time in more than a decade the House has censured one of its members.
A censure is a formal expression of the House's deep disapproval of a representative's actions. It's a form of public rebuke.
Gosar, who represents northern Yuma County, earned censure by posting an animated video showing him using a samurai sword to kill Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, (D-NY), before attacking President Joe Biden.
Gosar says the video was a symbolic. He says he would never espouse violence or harm to anyone.
"I rise today to address and reject the mischaracterization, accusations from many in this body that the cartoon from my office is dangerous or threatening. It was not. And I reject the false narrative categorically. I do not espouse violence towards anyone. I never have," Gosar told his colleagues. "It was not my purpose to make anyone upset. I voluntarily took the cartoon down, not because it was itself a threat, but because some thought it was. Out of compassion for those who generally felt offense, I self-censored."
Still, Democrats say the video amounts to threatening another legislator's life. One of the video's targets said Gosar's message was clear.
"As leaders in this country when we incite violence with depictions against our colleagues, that trickles down into violence in this country. And that is where we must draw the line independent of party, identity, or belief," said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected Gosar's claims, and urged colleagues to hold him accountable.
"This is about workplace harassment and violence against women, yet the member has not apologized for his actions. It's a cartoon, relax he said. Really...a cartoon...relax. And he wrote to supporters as hyperventilating and shrill accusations that this cartoon is dangerous, or laughable or intentionally hyperbolic. 'I'm entitled to speak to the people and do to so in a manner that is engaging', he said. Really? Is is engaging to depict killing a colleague?
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, (R-Calif.), accused Democrats of applying different standards to the Arizona Congressman than they would to members of their own party.
"We got to this point on the basis of a double-standard. Democrats want to change the rules but refuse to apply them to their own caucus. I listened to the speaker talk about the highest standards. said McCarthy. "Madam Speaker, when a Democratic chair woman flew to Minneapolis and told an angry crowd during a trial to stay on the streets, get more active, get more confrontational. We've got to make sure they know we mean business. That high standard, the Democrats refused to take action,"
The resolution passed by a vote or 223 to 207. Representatives Liz Cheney, of Wyoming,and Adam Kinzinger, of Illinois, were the only Republicans to support it.
After the vote, Gosar released a statement strongly condemning his censure. It reads in part:
If this cartoon “incites violence” and needs to be banned and me “punished” for it, then the Cartoon Network, Disney and all of Hollywood must be shut down and “punished” for all the cartoon and film violence they portray. I don’t advocate this, I am merely pointing out the lunacy of those who think this cartoon is violent and incites violence. And I remind everyone that pretending to be upset over a cartoon and wanting to suppress the ideas in a cartoon is what happened to the Charlie Hebdo magazine in France. All right-thinking people condemned that then, and they should condemn the Democrats now for their violation of free speech."
Rep. Raul Grijalva, (D-Ariz.), represents southern Yuma County. Grijalva says he voted in favor of the censure resolution. In a statement he writes:
“Threatening and condoning explicit and implicit violence toward anyone, let alone a Member of Congress and the President of the United States, is unacceptable in a civil society. This behavior is a concerning pattern that fits neatly into what led up to and the aftermath of January 6. Actions have consequences and today’s vote to censure and strip committee assignments are the result of those actions. Anyone who would threaten another individual with violence is unfit to serve in Congress.”
Rep. Charles Rangel, (D-NY), was the last congressman censured by the House. Rangel was rebuked in 2010 for a variety of campaign finance violations.
Censure is not the most severe reprimand available to House leadership. Expulsion is the stiffest punishment. It requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
Ohio Democrat James Traficant was the last congressman to face expulsion. Traficant was removed from Congress in 2002, and went on to serve a federal prison term on bribery, obstruction, and racketeering charges.
