House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is calling for ethics and criminal investigations into GOP Rep. Paul Gosar after the Arizona lawmaker shared a “fantasy video” in which he is seen killing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Joe Biden.
“Threats of violence against Members of Congress and the President of the United States must not be tolerated.” Pelosi wrote on Twitter before urging House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to join Democrats in backing investigations into Gosar by both the House Ethics Committee and outside law enforcement agencies.
“@GOPLeader should join in condemning this horrific video and call on the Ethics Committee and law enforcement to investigate,” she said.
Gosar sparked widespread condemnation after he tweeted an animated video on Monday depicting himself and other Republicans killing Democrats and immigrants.
The 90-second video features characters from a Japanese-style anime series, their faces replaced with pictures of Gosar and two other conservative firebrands — Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)
The clip shows a collage of migrants walking and wading through water, along with blood splatter effects on the screen. Gosar then hovers around a giant with Ocasio-Cortez’s face photoshopped on before the anime character launches into the air and comes down, slicing the back of the giant’s neck, killing it.
The clip ends with Gosar running a rooftop with two swords drawn, then jumping toward a giant with President Joe Biden’s face photoshopped onto it with the blades pointing at Biden.
Ocasio-Cortez responded Monday night in a tweet of her own, saying “a creepy member I work with who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups shared a fantasy video of him killing me. And he’ll face no consequences,” she added, “bc @GOPLeader cheers him on with excuses.”
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) also condemned Gosar, saying: “What a disgusting video from a pathetic man.”
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. https://t.co/qX8kMbiZ8n
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) November 9, 2021
