AOC calls GOP congressman 'a collection of wet toothpicks' after he posted a doctored anime clip that depicted him attacking her



Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and other lawmakers have criticized Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) for posting an edited video that includes a section in which Cortez's face is superimposed over a cartoon figure that gets attacked by a character that has Gosar's face superimposed on it.

Another section shows a figure with Gosar's face is leaping to attack President Joe Biden, though the video pauses with the character in midair and the attack is not shown.

"Any anime fans out there?" Gosar asked in a tweet sharing the video on Sunday. The lawmaker's tweet disappeared on Tuesday and Twitter indicates that the post has been deleted.

Gosar had also retweeted the now-unavailable tweet on his personal Twitter account, but as of Tuesday evening the retweeted content has vanished and a notice from Twitter says "This Tweet was deleted by the Tweet author."

The creativity of my team is off the hook. https://twitter.com/repgosar/status/1457493879003963398\u00a0\u2026

— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) 1636333454

"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," Cortez tweeted on Monday. "And he'll face no consequences bc @GOPLeader cheers him on with excuses. Fun Monday! Well, back to work bc institutions don't protect woc."

In another tweet Cortez declared: "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."

Prior to the tweet disappearing from the platform, Twitter had flagged it with a notice saying that the post ran afoul of its rules regarding hateful conduct, but that the tweet would remain available on the platform anyway. Users had to click to bypass the notice in order to view the tweet.

"This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about hateful conduct. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the public's interest for the Tweet to remain accessible," the social media company's notice had stated.

Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California blasted Gosar for "sick behavior" and said that "In any workplace in America, if a coworker made an anime video killing another coworker, that person would be fired."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) condemned Gosar and called upon House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to join her.

"Threats of violence against Members of Congress and the President of the United States must not be tolerated. @GOPLeader should join in condemning this horrific video and call on the Ethics Committee and law enforcement to investigate," Pelosi tweeted.

Gosar issued a statement in which he said that the video is symbolic and he does not promote violence toward the president or any lawmakers.

"I do not espouse violence or harm towards any Member of Congress or Mr. Biden. The video depicts the fight taking place next week on the House floor and symbolizes the battle for the soul of America when Congress takes up Mr. Biden's massive $4 trillion spending bill that includes amnesty for millions of illegal aliens already in our country and was not meant to depict any harm or violence against anyone portrayed in the anime. This video is truly a symbolic portrayal of a fight over immigration policy," Gosar said.

Rep. Paul Gosar in a new statement is addressing the blowback from the anime video that caught the attention of top Democrats. \n\n\u201cI do not espouse violence or harm towards any Member of Congress or Mr. Biden," he writes.pic.twitter.com/CwfzHcKVC7

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) 1636498171

The video is still currently available on Gosar's Instagram profile.

Content warning: The bare backside of the figure that gets attacked appears to be briefly visible.

Rep. Liz Cheney says she 'was wrong' to oppose gay marriage



Republican Rep. Liz Cheney said during an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" that she "was wrong" to oppose gay marriage in 2013.

Interviewer Lesley Stahl noted that while Cheney has a gay sister who is married and has children, Cheney opposed gay marriage in 2013, and that Cheney's father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, had taken a different position on the issue.

"How do you defend what you did?" Stahl inquired.

"I was wrong. I was wrong. I love my sister very much. I love her family very much," Cheney responded, adding again that she "was wrong."

"I believe that my dad was right. And my sister and I have had that conversation," she said.

Cheney, who has represented Wyoming's at-large Congressional District since 2017, had launched an election bid in a U.S. Senate primary contest, but later dropped out in early 2014.

During a Fox News Sunday interview in 2013 she said she believed in the traditional definition regarding marriage and thought that the matter should be up to states to decide.

Her father Dick Cheney served as VP alongside former President George W. Bush for eight years.

"I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone," he said in 2009, according to the New York Times. "I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish.

"I think that's the way it ought to be handled today, that is, on a state-by-state basis," he said, according to the outlet. "Different states will make different decisions. But I don't have any problem with that. I think people ought to get a shot at that."

Liz Cheney: The 60 Minutes Interview youtu.be

Rep. Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans to vote in favor of impeaching then-President Donald Trump earlier this year in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The Senate, which did not vote on the matter until after Trump had already departed from office, failed to clear the threshold necessary for a conviction.

In May, the House GOP ousted Cheney from her post as House Republican Conference Chair, later electing Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York to fill the slot.

Cheney was tapped by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, to serve on the House select committee tasked with probing the Jan. 6 episode.

While former President Trump is publicly opposing Cheney's 2022 re-election bid and has endorsed Harriet Hageman in the GOP primary, former President Bush is slated to support Cheney at a fundraiser next month.

SCOOP: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is slated to have a fundraiser w/ President George W. Bush next month. Signals Ch… https://t.co/XLfIFkM1pG

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) 1632284225.0

Former President George W. Bush will reportedly participate in an October fundraiser for Rep. Liz Cheney



Former President George W. Bush is slated to support Republican Rep. Liz Cheney at a fundraiser in Dallas, Texas next month, according to reports.

Various other figures are listed for the event as well, including Karl Rove, and former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison who served as U.S. Ambassador to NATO during the Trump administration.

SCOOP: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is slated to have a fundraiser w/ President George W. Bush next month. Signals Ch… https://t.co/XLfIFkM1pG

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) 1632284225.0

Cheney, who represents Wyoming's at-large Congressional District, was one of 10 GOP House members to vote in favor of impeaching then-President Donald Trump earlier this year in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The Senate, which voted on the matter after Trump had already departed from office, failed to clear the threshold necessary for conviction.

The House GOP ousted Cheney from her role as House Republican Conference Chair in May and then elected Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York to fill the vacancy.

Cheney, who has occupied the Wyoming congressional seat since 2017, is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney who served alongside President Bush for eight years.

She was tapped by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, to serve on the House select committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Earlier this month Trump issued a statement endorsing Harriet Hageman, who is aiming to defeat Cheney during the GOP primary.

"I strongly endorse Republican House of Representatives Candidate Harriet Hageman from Wyoming who is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican, Liz Cheney," Trump declared. "Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First. Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney. Make America Great Again!"

Cheney responded on Twitter, "Here's a sound bite for you: Bring it."

Here’s a sound bite for you: Bring it. https://t.co/VmET1JUs12

— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) 1631200669.0

Former President Bush delivered a speech earlier this month on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

"And we have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home," Bush said. "But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit. And it is our continuing duty to confront them."

Trump lambasted Bush in a statement issued on Sept. 13.

"The World Trade Center came down during his watch. Bush led a failed and uninspiring presidency. He shouldn't be lecturing anybody!" Trump said in part of the statement.

George W. Bush on 20th anniversary of September 11th: Full speech youtu.be

Chip Roy calls on House Republicans to reject Stefanik as successor to Cheney, citing her liberal voting record



Ahead of a vote to oust Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from House Republican leadership, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus sent a memo to every GOP office decrying her presumptive successor, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), as a Democrat in Republican clothing.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) circulated a memo Tuesday asking the House Republican conference to reconsider elevating Stefanik to the role of conference chairwoman, a position responsible for messaging ahead of the 2022 midterm election. Citing her voting record, which was often contrary to the agenda of former President Donald Trump, Roy called on House Republicans to "choose someone who reflects our conservative values" to succeed Cheney.

"We must avoid putting in charge Republicans who campaign as Republicans but then vote for and advance the Democrats' agenda once sworn in," Roy wrote to his colleagues.

"Therefore, with all due respect to my friend, Elise Stefanik, let us contemplate the message Republican leadership is about to send by rushing to coronate a spokesperson whose voting record embodies much of what led to the 2018 ass-kicking we received by Democrats," he said.

NEWS: Rep. Chip Roy in a memo to all House R offices bashes idea of Stefanik replacing Cheney as conference chair,… https://t.co/Z6EAW05J9k

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) 1620757080.0

On Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that the secret ballot vote to oust Cheney from leadership will happen Wednesday. Cheney has fallen out of favor with McCarthy and the rest of the Republican conference for her outspoken criticism of Trump — in news conferences, media interviews, and op-eds — which they feel is a distraction from their efforts to craft a message to win back control of the House of Representatives in the next election.

Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans to vote in favor of impeaching President Trump after the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol building. She holds Trump responsible for inciting the violence with his statements contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election and has called on other Republicans to reject the former president's claims.

Trump himself, McCarthy, and GOP Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) have each endorsed Stefanik, a vocal Trump supporter, to succeed Cheney. But some Republicans and conservative activists have voiced opposition to Stefanik, citing her liberal voting record.

"Elise Stefanik is NOT a good spokesperson for the House Republican Conference," said the Club for Growth, a conservative grassroots organization. "She is a liberal with a 35% CFGF lifetime rating, 4th worst in the House GOP. House Republicans should find a conservative to lead messaging and win back the House Majority."

Roy's memo to House Republicans highlighted several of Stefanik's votes that put her in opposition to conservatives, including a vote against Trump's 2017 tax cuts; a vote to override Trump's funding of the border wall; a vote for the Equality Act; and "many other concerning votes and positions."

"The forgotten men and women of this country simply want us to stand up for them. Please tell me how we are sending a message today that we are standing up for them with a leadership-tapped colleague with that record as our spokesperson?" Roy wrote.

He warned Republicans that straying from Trump's America First Agenda is what cost them the House in 2018 and what might prevent them from winning it back in 2022.

He also demanded that Republicans "be clear that the media narrative" about why Cheney is being forced from leadership "is false."

"This is about her general failure to lead the conference — recognizing that real concerns with expanded mail-in ballots, lack of identification requirements, ballot harvesting, and the numerous ways to undermine elections — on a path forward to restore election integrity. This is the kind of unified "election" message that Liz unfortunately did not develop that we should embrace now."