The Daily Beast explains:
Just hours after he was stripped of all committee assignments on Wednesday, the Arizona Republican took to Gettr to share a meme boasting that he’d gained some kind of “thug life” cred. The “Gosar Life” meme featured a photo of the lawmaker with dark sunglasses and an oversize gold chain superimposed over him—along with a supposed joint sticking out of his mouth.
Paul Gosar reposted this meme of himself on GETTR just now. pic.twitter.com/mWUKIXsQXh
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 17, 2021
According to ABC News’ Ben Siegel, Gosar apologized to Republicans before the censure vote, said he wasn’t advocating violence and that the video was an attempt by staff to reach younger people on social media. CNN’s Manu Raju reported that Gosar told his GOP colleagues "I don't believe in violence against any member," and that he hadn’t seen the violence in the video before it posted.
Well, he can’t use that excuse now. Insider reported that Gosar retweeted the anime video hours after he was censured. He also made made a video statement on Gettr:
“I just got back from the floor with the Democrats, who have censured me for challenging their America Last agenda. They should know I won't be bullied, even if they challenge me and try to take away my America First agenda," Gosar said in his video statement. "It's great to be on a service that's not going to be censored. And if you like cartoons, I love that. I'm looking forward to having a great discussion with you soon."
That, from the same guy who had just told the House of Representatives, “It was not my purpose to make anyone upset. I voluntarily took the cartoon down, not because it was itself a threat but because some thought it was.”
Tim Gosar, Paul’s brother, was probably unsurprised by the congressman’s quick change from "who me?" to unrepentant thuggishness. In an MSNBC interview as the censure vote was taking place, Tim Gosar applauded Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks about the importance of the censure vote.
But Tim Gosar thinks censure is not enough for his “dangerous” and “reckless” borther:
