Politics

GOP Reps Abandon Disastrous Presser on Jan. 6 Hearing

CHAOTIC

A man blowing a whistle and a protester holding a “RAPIST” sign behind Rep. Matt Gaetz derailed the event.

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Alex Wong/Getty

Members of the so-called sedition caucus, the moniker given to Republican lawmakers who have refused to acknowledge the truth of what happened on Jan. 6, were chased out of their own press conference on Tuesday by a man blowing a whistle and a protester holding a “RAPIST” sign. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who is under federal investigation for sex trafficking, appeared alongside other proponents of the “Big Lie” like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Paul Gosar (AZ), and Louie Gohmert (TX) to complain about the Jan. 6 hearing that was underway in the House on Tuesday morning.

But protesters quickly swamped the event, including one holding up a sign behind the podium that read “TRAITORS + RAPISTS: SIT DOWN.” An aide confronted a man who was repeatedly blowing a whistle and asked him, “Are you trying to assault people with auditory weapons?” before eventually shutting down the presser while yelling “the left shut us down.” Gaetz and Greene had to be whisked away by security while a woman repeatedly yelled, “Are you a pedophile?” at Gaetz.

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