Recently, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) — a far-right torchbearer and ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump — tweeted an edited, animated video that depicted him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Understandably, the post sparked outrage — but there has not been any kind of systematic push among GOP leadership to hold Gosar accountable for the disgraceful behavior. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) hadn’t even bothered to speak out at all regarding the situation by early Tuesday, well after it emerged.
McCarthy wants to punish Republicans who voted for the infrastructure bill, but has remained silent on Rep. Gosar tweeting a video in which he kills his colleague.
Republicans are more outraged at Big Bird for getting vaxxed than Gosar.
The modern GOP, folks.
— Lis Power (@LisPower1) November 9, 2021
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) went directly after McCarthy and the GOP at-large for their enabling of behavior like what Gosar did. As Kinzinger put it:
‘This will continue. Of course [the GOP] and [McCarthy] can condemn this proactively (not some sidestepping comment when asked about it.). They won’t. The “arm-pit farting” of our politics is why we are failing the people.’
This will continue. Of course @gop and @GOPLeader can condemn this proactively (not some sidestepping comment when asked about it.). They won’t. The “arm-pit farting” of our politics is why we are failing the people. https://t.co/JYwc5gG96B
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) November 9, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez herself also spoke out regarding recent developments. As she pointedly put it, in part:
‘So while I was en route to Glasgow, a creepy member I work with who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups shared a fantasy video of him killing me And he’ll face no consequences [because] [McCarthy] cheers him on with excuses. Fun Monday! Well, back to work [because] institutions don’t protect [women of color]… This dude is… just a collection of wet toothpicks anyway. White supremacy is for extremely fragile people & sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior because deep down he knows he couldn’t open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself.’
Remember when Yoho accosted me on the the Capitol and called me a f—ing b—
Remember when Greene ran after me a few months ago screaming and reaching
Remember when she stalked my office the 1st time w/ insurrectionists & ppl locked inside
All at my job 🙃 & nothing ever happens
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2021
This dude is a just a collection of wet toothpicks anyway.
White supremacy is for extremely fragile people &sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior because deep down he knows he couldn’t open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2021
None of these circumstances have unfolded in a vacuum. Rather, this situation is exactly the sort of thing that happens when former President Trump claims that the events of January 6 were merely a “protest” — even though the day featured scores of physical assaults on officers and threats of physical assaults on and executions of top government leaders like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and then-Vice President Mike Pence, who was targeted over his perceived lack of sufficient loyalty to Trump. There were also threats on the lives of others there that day, like members of the media. Led by Trump, the GOP is quite literally fostering a political environment in which physical threats against opponents are perfectly acceptable — which is both profoundly dangerous and utterly absurd.