An Embarrassment to American Democracy
“Josh Hawley is a laughingstock. During Thursday night’s televised hearings of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt at the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Elaine Luria showed video of Missouri’s junior senator that will surely follow him the rest of his life. In the clip, Hawley sprints across a hallway as he and his fellow senators are evacuated after insurrectionists had breached the Capitol building. When it played on the screen, the audience in the room with the committee erupted in laughter.” 1
“A prominent Missouri newspaper took aim at the midwestern state’s Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican, dubbing him a “laughingstock” after the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack against the U.S. Capitol on Thursday evening played a clip of him running as the riot unfolded. Hawley was captured in photos raising a fist in approval of supporters of former President Donald Trump who went on to violently attack the federal legislative branch last year. The Missouri senator also led the Senate GOP effort to object to President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victories in key swing states, giving credence to Trump’s misinformation that the 2020 election was “rigged” or “stolen.”” 2
“As a U.S. senator, Hawley had led the charge to object to the 2020 election on the false premise that some states failed to follow the law, bolstering the baseless claims from President Donald Trump that the election was stolen and should be overturned. Hawley had said the ascent of Joe Biden to the presidency “depends” on what would happen on Jan. 6, the day of a pro forma congressional vote to affirm the election. He had been photographed that day pumping his fist in the air as some Trump supporters were gathering on the grounds outside the U.S. Capitol. Later, as rioters ransacked the building and several senators huddled in a secure room, fearing for their lives and trying to persuade their pro-Trump colleagues to withdraw their efforts to undermine democracy, Hawley remained combative in pushing the very falsehoods that had helped stoke the violence.” 3
Senator @brianschatz absolutely lays into @HawleyMO on the Senate floor. Worth a watch: pic.twitter.com/5weRBy0za2
— Sam Jeske (@Sam_Jeske) April 7, 2022
- Companies That Support “The Big Lie”
TD Ameritrade
A major brokerage house, TD Ameritrade, has funneled millions of dollars into PACs that support “The Big Lie” 4 and various ultra-conservative organizations. They are responsible for over $2,140,000 going to Future45 and $1,800,000 going to Ending Spending Action Fund. Yes, they even contributed $21,600 to Josh Hawley, one of the congressmen who supported the January 6th insurrection. 5
- The Kansas City Star, Editorial Board, July 23, 2022 – Fist pumper to fleeing coward: Jan. 6 video shows Missouri who Josh Hawley really is
- Newsweek, Jason Lemon, July 22, 2022 – Josh Hawley Dubbed ‘Laughingstock’ by Missouri Newspaper Over Jan. 6 Video
- The Washington Post, Michael Kranish, May 11, 2021 – Grievance, rebellion and burnt bridges: Tracing Josh Hawley’s path to the insurrection – From his teenage writings to his incendiary support for false 2020 election claims, the Missouri senator is staking out a place in today’s far-right Republican Party
- Washington Post – The Fact Checker’s database of the false or misleading claims made by President Trump while in office.
- OpenSecrets.org
