Title: Censuring Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona.
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
This resolution censures Representative Paul Gosar for certain statements he made regarding the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 420 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 420

            Censuring Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 20, 2021

 Mr. Cicilline (for himself, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
Cooper, Ms. Chu, Mrs. Demings, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Jackson 
 Lee, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Kildee, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. McEachin, 
Mr. Payne, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Jones, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, 
 Mrs. Torres of California, Ms. Jayapal, and Mr. Espaillat) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ethics

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
            Censuring Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona.

Whereas in January 2021, the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
        Representatives released its report, ``Materials in Support of H. Res. 
        24, Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for 
        High Crimes and Misdemeanors'', which stated:
            ``To enter the Capitol, the insurrectionists desecrated the Capitol 
        including by, among other acts, ransacking and looting Member offices, 
        stealing and destroying electronics, government property, and sensitive 
        materials, and engaging in violence, which eventually resulted in at 
        least five deaths. To enter the Capitol, the insurrectionists 
        overwhelmed Capitol Police, scaled walls, used makeshift ladders, 
        shattered windows, and overran barricades. Although Capitol Police 
        locked the gallery and floor doors and Members and staff barricaded 
        themselves in offices, the mob stormed Member offices, vandalizing and 
        smashing property, overturning furniture, and, in some cases, stealing 
        electronics.
            ``Insurrectionists also severely damaged the building itself. They 
        left bullet marks in the building walls, looted art, destroyed 
        monuments, including a commemorative display honoring late congressman 
        John Lewis, smeared their feces in several hallways, and fatally injured 
        a Capitol Police officer. Several brandished the Confederate battle flag 
        and extremist paraphernalia.
            ``By approximately 2:45 PM, insurrectionists had breached the House 
        and Senate floors and began posing for photographs, including on the 
        dais where Vice President Mike Pence had been presiding just moments 
        before. Other images showed rioters smoking marijuana in Capitol rooms. 
        The insurrectionists had, among their gear and weaponry, bullet-proof 
        vests, zip ties used for handcuffs, metal knuckles, sticks and poles, 
        knives, and firearms; in total, at least six handguns were recovered 
        from subsequent arrests. Videos confirmed that these insurrectionists 
        were openly threatening specific Members of Congress. For example, some 
        of the attackers said, `Tell Pelosi we're coming for that 
        [expletive]'.'';
Whereas the Committee's report also stated, ``During the attack, Vice President 
        Pence, Members of Congress, and staff were sheltering in secure 
        locations. Spurred by the false claims of fraud, some of the attackers 
        said, `Tell Pelosi we're coming for that [expletive]', and `Hang Mike 
        Pence'. Some attackers carried zip ties intended to be used as 
        handcuffs. A noose was hung outside the Capitol. Multiple members of the 
        Capitol Police were severely injured or killed.'';
Whereas the Committee's report also stated, ``Later video would emerge of 
        insurrectionists inside the Capitol chanting `Hang Mike Pence!''';
Whereas on May 12, 2021, during a hearing entitled ``The Capitol Insurrection: 
        Unexplained Delays and Unanswered Questions'' held by the Committee on 
        Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives, Representative 
        Paul Gosar of Arizona, while questioning former Acting Attorney General 
        Jeffrey A. Rosen about the death of Ashli Babbitt, asked ``Who executed 
        Ashli Babbitt?'', when she was shot by Capitol Police officers as she 
        tried to climb through a broken window in the Speakers Lobby right 
        outside the chamber of the House of Representatives;
Whereas at the hearing, Representative Gosar stated, ``Outright propaganda and 
        lies are being used to unleash the national security state against law 
        abiding U.S. citizens, especially Trump voters. The FBI is fishing 
        through homes of veterans and citizens with no criminal records and 
        restricting the liberties of individuals that had never been accused of 
        a crime. Mr. Biden calls January 6th the worst attack since the Civil 
        War. A president was impeached for his alleged role in that riot. It was 
        reported early, totally unconfirmed, that an armed insurrection, `beat a 
        police officer to death with a fire extinguisher'. The government has 
        even enlisted Americans to turn in their own neighbors.'';
Whereas at the hearing, Representative Gosar also stated, ``But the truth is 
        being censored and covered up. As a result, the DOJ is harassing--
        harassing peaceful patriots across the country.''; and
Whereas undermining the seriousness of the insurrection that occurred on January 
        6 against the United States Capitol and Members of Congress, and 
        dangerously mischaracterizing the events of that day, disrespects the 
        sacrifices made by law enforcement officers on that day and creates 
        danger by emboldening and legitimizing future actors who would attack 
        the United States Capitol in a similar manner: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona be hereby 
        censured;
            (2) Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona forthwith present 
        himself in the well of the House of Representatives for the 
        pronouncement of censure; and
            (3) Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona be censured with 
        the public reading of this resolution by the Speaker.
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