It's been more than four months since a mob of pro-Trump insurrectionists, motivated by the former President's lies about the 2020 election, stormed the United States Capitol in hopes of upending the joint congressional session certifying now-President Joe Biden's victory.
Though the mob featured a sea of Trump flags, MAGA caps, and other paraphernalia dedicated to the former President, his Republican supporters in Congress continue to dismiss Trump's responsibility for the riots and the prevalence of Trump supporters in the riots at all.
Such was the case this week, when pro-Trump Congressman Paul Gosar of Arizona appeared on far-right conspiracy theorist Stew Peters' web show to promote the claim that Democrats in Congress aided and abetted the deadly failed insurrection.
Eric Hananoki of Media Matters for America was the first to report.
Rep. Paul Gosar appeared on a conspiracy theory show yesterday and said that the Democratic leadership "actually aided and abetted" the January 6 insurrection. https://www.mediamatters.org/january-6-insurrection/rep-paul-gosar-appears-conspiracy-theory-show-claim-democrats-aided-and\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/GWmmtwXpOx— Eric Hananoki (@Eric Hananoki) 1621450214
Gosar said:
"What I believe is a few bad apples utilized this to their benefit, and it was aided and abetted by leadership. ... [T]his Capitol Police turned down an additional hundred Capitol Police officers. They turned it down. And who does that come from? Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi is responsible for the security of the Capitol buildings."
This claim is completely false. While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) plays a large part in the congressional approval of the Capitol Police budget, she is not responsible for day-to-day security at the United States Capitol, though this lie has been repeated often by Republican lawmakers, as has the bogus claim that Pelosi refused National Guard intervention six times at the Capitol.
The Associated Press fact checked this lie all the way back in January:
"Capitol Police are responsible for security on the grounds of the Capitol and protecting Congress, along with the House and Senate sergeants-at-arms."
Gosar's lies saw swift rebuke on social media.
Can we start to have these people testify under oath ?— Nick Done \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Nick Done \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1621450267
\u201cPelosi failed to deploy snipers, tanks and low-flying medical choppers in time to protect the people\u2019s house from the normal everyday tourists\u2026er\u2026 violent red-hatted antifa mob.\u201dhttps://twitter.com/ehananoki/status/1395089429505654790\u00a0\u2026— Gene Masseth, Bayard (@Gene Masseth, Bayard) 1621453082
The projection is so strong that Sigmund and Anna Freud could write more books on all of this.— Nikki (@Nikki) 1621450918
How did the people of Arizona choose this man for Congress?— Baron Brady (@Baron Brady) 1621450801
Wow.— Sally Zubler (@Sally Zubler) 1621450494
Paradoxically enough, Gosar—like Trump and most congressional Republicans—is against the Democratic effort to form an independent commission examining the events at the Capitol on January 6.
People soon called him out on it.
Surely he supports a full investigation then!— SL, Esq. (@SL, Esq.) 1621450648
He should support the formation of a commission to get to the bottom of this ...— Klaus Marre (@Klaus Marre) 1621450539
So he\u2019s a big YES for Jan 6 investigation.— Leigh Price (@Leigh Price) 1621450334
If he truly thinks that, why wouldn\u2019t he be in favor of a January 6th commission to get to the bottom of it?— Katlady (@Katlady) 1621450559
In addition to Gosar, other Republican lawmakers have minimized the threat of the insurrection or placed blame on other entities. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) promoted conspiracy theories that the riots were caused by antifa, while Congressman Andrew Clyde (R-GA) falsely claimed footage from that day resembled a "normal tourist visit."
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