Rep. Madison Cawthorn had everyone talking when House Republicans met on the baseball diamond on Friday morning for practise.
It was only days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a passionate plea to Congress for more help in defending his country against Russia’s bloody assault that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of North Carolina infuriated members of his own party by calling Zelensky a “thug” and his government “incredibly evil.”
“It was the topic of baseball practise today,” Texas Republican Rep. Roger Williams, who coaches the Republican baseball team, told CNN. “It’s not the right moment to make charges like that. Honestly, I wish he hadn’t said it. Generally speaking, people felt this way.
After impeaching former President Trump last year, Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina was even more outspoken in his criticism of his colleagues.
What “Madison Cawthorn has stated?
That he is here for public relations and not legislation. As Rice told CNN, “I doubt he’ll be a serious member of Congress. When it comes to trying to serve the country, “I think he is more interested in dropping bombs than he is.”
“I don’t think he has much respect for the Republican conference or anywhere else,” he added. There is no such thing as reality for him.
When Republican leaders are trying to portray Vice President Joe Biden as weak in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Cawthorn’s latest comments have put them in an awkward position. With the statements of a freshman firebrand who has the ear of former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s anti-Russia stance is at jeopardy, and critics have grabbed on Cawthorn’s most recent actions to accuse the GOP of mimicking Kremlin talking points and acting favourable toward Putin.
After Cawthorn’s remarks were made, MPs from both parties, including members of the Republican leadership, were quick to criticise him.
While he still supports Cawthorn‘s re-election, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy stated Friday that “Madison is wrong, if there’s any thug in this world, Putin is it.” ‘You just saw Putin order the Russian military to bomb an area housing a maternity ward. Last night, we watched at a bombed-out theatre that is clearly marked on the front and rear from the sky. These actions are heinous and ought to be stopped immediately; this is the aggressor. “This is the one against which we should all band together.”
Republican campaign chairman Tom Emmer of Minnesota termed Cawthorn’s remarks “unfortable.”
What Cawthorn say about Emmer ?
When asked if Cawthorn contributes anything to the meeting, Emmer remained silent.
He said, “I am not going to get into this,” Emmer continued. When it comes to winning back the upper hand, “I’m focused on one thing: making sure that we stay focused on the issues that matter.”
But Cawthorn’s colleagues haven’t always been able to ignore him. From trying to reverse 2020 election results to more recent actions like cleaning his pistol in the middle of a virtual hearing on veteran’s health care, this 26-year-old congressman has brought unwanted attention upon himself and the Republican Party. For his 2017 Instagram picture depicting him visiting Adolf Hitler’s holiday home in Germany and touting it as a “bucket list” item, Trump found himself in deep water during the campaign. To make matters more complicated for him, a federal appeals court will soon be asked to rule on whether the Constitution’s barring on insurrectionists serving in public office should be extended to his congressional bid.
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What statement has been issued in congress?
Cawthorn’s office has issued a statement claiming that the congressman was simply warning the United States about the dangers of getting involved in another foreign conflict.
“The Congressman was expressing his anger with how foreign leaders, notably Zelensky, have lately utilised misleading propaganda to draw the United States into an international battle,” Cawthorn’s office said. However, he does not want the United States to be drawn into another conflict through the use of emotional manipulation by the Russians in Ukraine.”
Cawthorn isn’t the only Republican causing controversy over Russia. While Cawthorn was one of fifteen Republicans who supported the restriction on Russian oil imports last week, eight Republicans rejected legislation this week to terminate regular trade relations with Russia and Belarus. Meanwhile, Georgia freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene recently accused the Biden administration of aiding “NATO Nazis” after she voted against a large budget measure that included $13.6 billion in Ukraine aid. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was lauded as “brilliant” and “clever” by Trump just last month.
There are certain Republicans, in my opinion, who have an admiration for autocrats like Vladimir Putin. ‘I think it’s awful,” said Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who has been on the receiving end of her party’s wrath for her criticism of President Trump. People like Madison Cawthorn, Marjorie Taylor Greene and others like the past President, who have praised Putin at this time, when we’re seeing the brutality, there’s no explanation for people being confused about which side we should be on.”
When it comes to criticising the Trumpian faction of the GOP
Cheney often finds herself on her own. However, there were many other Republicans who voiced their unhappiness with Cawthorn’s “thug” statements on Friday.
Rep. Steve Womack, a Republican from Arkansas, said it was “not a justifiable comment” and wouldn’t say if he thought Cawthorn was a “constructive member” of the conference.
Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas smiled and rolled his eyes when asked about Cawthorn’s statements, before comparing Zelensky to today’s equivalent of Winston Churchill.
Republican Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska, who represents a district that voted for Vice President Joe Biden, remarked that Cawthorn’s opinions do not represent the views of the majority of the Republican conference.
In Bacon’s opinion, “I don’t get it,” he remarked. This has been a terrible tragedy for Ukraine…. Zelensky has been an excellent leader,”
Sen. Thom Tillis of Cawthorn’s home state poked fun at Cawthorn by bringing up allegations that Russian television had been airing Cawthorn’s statements over and over and over again.
What if your words have been picked up by Russian official media channels and repeated endlessly? Tillis used his official Twitter account to send forth tweets.
Republicans in North Carolina seeking to unseat Cawthorn in the statehouse are outraged by his “deplorable words,” according to Michele Woodhouse, who previously endorsed him for the seat in 2020.
However, according to Woodhouse, a Cawthorn victory in the primary might put the seat at jeopardy, despite the district’s Republican majority. At the time of his anti-Ukraine remarks, Cawthorn was facing charges of driving with an expired licence and other traffic violations, she pointed out.
“What I’m hearing on the ground is that they just don’t feel proud of who’s there representing them,” Woodhouse said.
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But on Friday, a few Republican lawmakers avoided attacking Cawthorn
House Freedom Caucus Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, said: “You’d have to speak with him about it.” There is a lot my coworkers say that I don’t keep up with. However, “I just think we want to be very clear about the horrors, what Putin is doing, and we ought to aid (Ukraine).”
When asked about Trump’s “thug” insults, freshman Republican Rep. Nancy Mace replied, “These are serious times and it calls for real leadership and that’s where my attention is.”
Also, Florida Republican Rep. Brian Mast confirmed that Cawthorn was an effective member of Congress.
“Look, everybody here has allowed their viewpoint to think what they want to believe about you or me or Pelosi or Biden or Trump or anyone else, and Zelensky included, to believe. “Madison is entitled to his opinion,” Mast stated.
In contrast to popular belief, Mast believes Zelensky is not a thug. As a leader, I think he’s been outstanding.