JOEL MARKLUND/BILDBYRÅN / X06524
Originally published on January 7, 2021 8:05 am
Prominent Texas Republicans criticized the actions of a pro-Trump extremist mob at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.
Sen. Ted Cruz and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have been at the forefront of conspiracy theories and court cases around the results of the 2020 presidential election. On Tuesday, Paxton spoke at a Trump rally in D.C. that preceded the insurrection. What we have in President Trump is a fighter, Paxton said. And I think that’s why we’re all here. We will not quit fighting.
Around the same time, Sen. Cruz raised a formal objection to the certification of electoral votes from Arizona, kicking off a lengthy floor debate.
When a federal court tossed U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmertâs far-fetched lawsuit asking Vice President Mike Pence to challenge Joe Bidenâs legitimacy as president-elect, the Texas Republican appeared to propose violence in response.
âBasically, in effect, the ruling would be that you got to go to the streets and be as violent as Antifa and [Black Lives Matter],â he told Newsmax, a hyperpartisan, pro-Donald Trump media company, last Friday.
The comments drew quick criticism that Gohmert was advocating for violence, which he later denied. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, called for a formal congressional censure. âWe live in a time where words can cause hurt and harm to peopleâs livelihoods and their very lives,â Wasserman Schutlz said at a news conference covered by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
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Texas politicians in both parties pleaded for peace Wednesday afternoon after supporters backing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the Electoral College certification of his reelection defeat.
“I like many people voted for President Trump in the 2020 election and hoped for a different result,” tweeted U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin. “But violence and destruction is not the way to express your grievances. This is disgraceful and has to end.”
U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, was more succinct in a tweet, saying, “Stop this bullshit right now.”
West wrote, “You Accepted ANTIFA burning down your cities. Now Deal with them taking back OUR HOUSE!” spurring Texas GOP leaders to remove him as sergeant-at-arms.