Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), some of whose siblings once appeared in an ad for a Democratic challenger trying to unseat him, is now facing renewed public pressure from members of his family. Now, two of his siblings are advocating for his removal from Congress in connection to his role in inciting the riot at the Capitol on January 6. That riot unfolded under the explicit pretense of the lie that last year’s presidential election was somehow rigged for Joe Biden, and Gosar prominently helped spread that lie. At a rally last December, Gosar told onlookers that “once we conquer the Hill, Donald Trump is returned to being the president.” The incitement seems obvious.
Dave Gosar — a brother of the Congressman — characterized Paul as a “traitor.” As he put it to NBC:
‘I consider him a traitor to this country. I consider him a traitor to his family. He doesn’t see it. He’s disgraced and dishonored himself… They’re trying to bury it just like they bury everything in the past. And I want to tell you if they think that’s going to fly this time, they’re sorely mistaken…. I think he should be removed from Congress, and they have the power to do it, no matter what they tell you.’
Jennifer Gosar, another sibling of the Congressman, added as follows, discussing the Capitol riot and Paul’s role in inciting it:
‘I was concerned before. I was horrified during, and I’m shocked that he’s not censured now, that there hasn’t been a process for expulsion. I mean, I think all the elements are clear. And maybe there’s something I’m missing, but they’re not acting on it to really allay any fears of the public… I’m concerned there are leaders in the Democratic Party, there are leaders across ideologies who do not speak up. I just can’t fathom it… I would not have come out publicly if it were not absolutely necessary. But just because he’s my brother doesn’t mean he gets a pass.’
Troublingly, far-right activist Ali Alexander once said in a video that he, Paul Gosar, and two other members of Congress had “schemed up [the idea] of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting” on January 6 in order to “change the minds of Republicans in that body hearing our loud roar from outside.” That revelation obviously suggests that Gosar was involved in planning what turned into deadly violence, even if the violence wasn’t originally explicitly intended on his part. On January 6, Congress had gathered to formally certify the outcome of last year’s presidential election, which is what the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol that day tried to block.
