House censures Rep. Gosar for violent video in rare rebuke

KNAU News Talk - Arizona Public Radio | By Associated Press

Published November 17, 2021 at 2:48 PM MST

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Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, takes an elevator as the House of Representatives prepares to vote on a resolution to formally rebuke him for tweeting an animated video that depicted him striking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., with a sword, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021. In addition to the official censure, House Democrats want to oust him from his seats on the House Oversight Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

The House has voted to censure Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona for posting an animated video that depicted him killing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a sword.

It was an extraordinary rebuke on Wednesday that highlighted the political strains testing Washington and the country.

The resolution will also remove Gosar from his two House committees: Natural Resources and the Oversight and Reform panel on which Ocasio-Cortez also serves.

Democratic lawmakers said Gosar’s actions amounted to threatening another member’s life.

Gosar said, “I do not espouse violence toward anyone. I never have."