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Gleeful Madison Cawthorn Urges Supporters To 'Be Armed, Be Dangerous' After Rittenhouse Verdict

Alan Herrera
Nov. 22, 2021
Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee/Getty Images

North Carolina Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn urged supporters of Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse to "be armed, be dangerous" after a jury issued their verdict in the high-profile trial.

Cawthorn issued his remarks after Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges relating to the fatal shootings of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and injuring Gaige Grosskreutz during the Kenosha unrest, which took place after police officers shot and partially paralyzed Jacob Blake, a Black man.

In an Instagram post that has since gone viral, Cawthorn asserted Rittenhouse is not guilty of the shootings he commited and said he would offer Rittenhouse an internship in his office.

You can hear what Cawthorn said in the video below.

Cawthorn's remarks have been harshly condemned and many have called for him to be voted out of office.









Cawthorn has a history of calling for violent confrontation and has for months been among the more prominent Republicans to elevate former President Donald Trump's conspiracy theories about the integrity of the 2020 general election, alleging that the process was fraudulent.

He made headlines over the summer when he warned, during an event hosted by the Macon County Republican Party in Franklin, North Carolina, of "bloodshed" if elections "continue to be rigged," despite evidence to the contrary.

Cawthorn also spoke at the "Stop the Steal" rally ahead of the January 6 insurrection, which took place when a mob of former President Trump's stormed the United States Capitol on the false premise that the 2020 election had been stolen, and referred to rioters in police custody as "political hostages" and "political prisoners."

And Cawthorn even has a history of unlawfully carrying weapons, as when he sparked controversy when he was accused of bringing a large knife to a school board meeting in his district.

Cawthorn, who appeared at the school board meeting to protest COVID-19 restrictions and mask mandates, denied the allegations, saying he didn't "know anything about it."

Back in February, Cawthorn was stopped at the Asheville Regional Airport after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents discovered an unloaded Glock 9mm handgun and loaded magazine in Cawthorn's carry-on luggage.

Cawthorn's gun was confiscated. He was allowed to retrieve it when he returned to Asheville.