Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) released the following statement after voting against a resolution to censure Representative Paul Gosar (AZ-04), citing partisan focus and Democrats’ refusal to discipline their own members. 

“Let’s be clear: violence is never okay,” said Rep. Hern. “I condemn threats of violence from both sides of the aisle – something Speaker Pelosi has thus far been unwilling to do. A censure for Rep. Gosar would carry much more weight if Pelosi were willing to take similar action against members of the Democratic Caucus who have made threats, incited violence against political enemies, and minimized actual violence from their political allies. Unlike previous Congressional censures, there has been no ethics investigation into Rep. Gosar’s actions, further betraying Pelosi’s true intentions. Until I see Pelosi treat members of her own party the way she treats Republicans, her politically-motivated witch hunt will remain illegitimate.” 

Rep. Hern previously supported a vote in the House to sanction a Republican following an ethics investigation into violations of campaign finance rules. 

The last U.S. Representative to be censured by the House was former Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) in 2010, which followed a long ethics investigation. The House has censured Members only 23 times in history, the vast majority happening in the 19^th century. Since 1966, when the modern Ethics Committee was formed, the censure has only been used 6 times and is generally preceded by an investigation.

Background Information

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) has a lengthy history of encouraging violence against political enemies, including threats of violence against the judicial system. Democrats celebrated her remarks, repeated them, and acted on them. (Here, here, here, and here.)

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, further undermined the judicial system when he made inflammatory remarks in the middle of an active trial just this week. 

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) has made countless offensive comments about Israel, the Jewish people, and the 9/11 attacks with zero consequences. (Here, here, here, here, and here.)

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY-10), who chairs the House Committee on the Judiciary, claimed antifa violence was a mythafter a summer of rampant crime and violence in America’s major cities. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) continues to gaslight Americans over rising crime, and encouraged riotersand protesters to be more extreme. 

With very few exceptions, Speaker Pelosi has yet to condemn these comments inciting violence against Trump supporters and staff, encouraging rioters, praising terror organizations, and dismissing the violence that resulted in over a billion dollars of property damage, dozens of deaths and countless injuries last summer. 

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