Gosar later took down the video after facing criticism but did not apologize. House Democrats have made it clear that they believe they will face significant consequences for their actions, while many Republicans have argued that Democrats are setting a dangerous precedent that can be used against them in the future. could.
The censure motion is the harshest form of punishment in the House, and stripping a committee member’s function deprives them of a powerful platform to influence legislation and voice constituent priorities.
The motion approved by the House would remove Goser from the House Oversight and Reform Committee, on which Ocasio-Cortez also serves, and the Natural Resources Committee.
“We cannot make fun of one member killing each other or threatening the President of the United States,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a floor speech.
“Disguising death threats as video doesn’t make it any less real,” she said. “This is a sad day for the House of Representatives, but a necessary day.”
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy accused Democrats of hypocrisy, arguing that they have not responded to members of their own party in the same way.
McCarthy suggested that Republicans use the standard that has been set to reprimand Democrats if they retake the majority. “Under the Pelosi precedent, the members I mentioned earlier would need majority approval to retain those positions in the future.”
In remarks on the House floor before the vote, Gosar was defiant.
“For this cartoon, some people in the current Congress suggest that I should be punished. I have conclusively stated that the cartoon poses no threat to our country other than the threat of immigration. And by my employees or by me No threat was intended,” she said.
Goser said, “I voluntarily took the cartoon down not because it was a threat in itself, but because some people thought it was. Out of compassion for those who generally felt guilt, I self-immolated. censored.”
How did the censor vote unfold?
After the resolution is passed, the legislator who is being reprimanded is required to stand in the Well of the House, while whoever is presiding the House reads the motion aloud.
After the measure passed, Pelosi asked Goser to introduce himself. He then read the condemnation and announced the removal of the Congressman from the work of the committee.
When Goser stood in the well and Pelosi denounced him, a group of Republicans joined him. Ocasio-Cortez of California and Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters was sitting in the front row while reading the sensor,
In a statement issued after the condemnation, Goser continued to defend his actions. “President Trump called me his ‘warrior’ for a reason,” he said. “I’m fighting for America First and against the Democrats’ attempts to destroy this country with open borders, drugs, illegal immigration and human trafficking, all condoned and initiated by the Biden administration.”
Joyce, the Ohio Republican who voted present, explained her vote in a statement.
Citing the fact that he is a member of the House Ethics Committee, the Congressman said, “I may consider it appropriate to vote to appear on legislation relating to matters which may or may not come up before the Committee.”
He continued, “I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to let the ethics committee do its job and to address any alleged violations of the rules of the U.S. House of Representatives or any related conduct by members of the House, officials, or Address. Employees.”
Democrats call for results
The move to condemn Goser follows a lack of action from the Republican leadership in the House. McCarthy, who had not commented publicly on the Goser episode until this week, has said that he called out Arizona Republicans after the tweet, who later deleted it, but did not explicitly condemn Goser’s behavior. .
McCarthy said Goser explained his actions during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning, and his explanation was welcomed at the conference, according to attendees.
“He didn’t see it before it was posted. It was not his intention to show any harm,” McCarthy told reporters. “What I said at the conference is (we) cannot accept any action or violence against any other member.”
Amid a backlash against the video, the Congressman issued a statement on the video, saying it was “not meant to portray any harm or violence against anyone” and that it was “a symbol of the fight over immigration policy”. Illustration”.
Ocasio-Cortez spoke out against Goser’s actions and inaction by House GOP leadership in remarks on the House floor before the vote.
“In response to the Republican leader’s remarks when he says that this action is unprecedented: I believe it is unprecedented that a member of the House leadership of any party is allowed to incite violence against a member of this body.” unable to condemn,” she said. ,
“Our work matters here. Our example matters. There is meaning in our service and as leaders in this country when we incite violence against our allies that turns into violence in this country,” she said .
“It’s too choppy and dry. Does anyone in this room find this behavior acceptable?”
Pelosi said Wednesday that Gosar could face criminal liability for the video.
“I think law enforcement should take note of not only putting the lives of members of Congress and certainly the President of the United States at risk,” Pelosi said.
“If the precedent had been set, it was set in the Green case,” Hoyer said, adding that Democrats had voted against Georgia’s GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green was stripped of her committee assignment after an uproar after her past inflammatory comments and outspoken support of violence against Democrats surfaced.
“Setting it twice isn’t going to make any difference I don’t think,” Hoyer said. “And I know there are comments that we’ll do it with you. I’m not aware, frankly, of any incident that’s similar to our corridor. In any event, if there’s a similar incident action should be Democratic not took.”
Gosar entered his Capitol Hill office on Wednesday before the vote, but did not take any questions. He also did not attend a meeting of two committees on Wednesday morning that the House plans to vote on to remove him later.
How Republicans Voted
House GOP leaders recommended their members vote against a motion condemning Goser and stripping his committee’s functions, according to leadership aides.
Both Kinzinger and Cheney indicated before the vote that they plan to support denouncing Goser.
He said, “We must hold accountable members who incite or glorify violence, who perpetrate and perpetuate dangerous conspiracies. Failure to do so will take us one step closer to the reality of this imaginary violence.” ”
Cheney said earlier this week that McCarthy’s inaction on Goser is “unforgivable.”
“Our party needs a leader who will stand up for what is right and stand up for the truth, and stop trying to play these games,” Cheney told CNN.
Cheney said she would support both condemning Gosar or taking away her committee’s actions.
This story and title have been updated with additional developments on Wednesday.
CNN’s Kristin Wilson, Melanie Zanona, Manu Raju, Alex Rogers, Lauren Fox and Daniela Diaz contributed.
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