Josh Hawley throws a fit as the January 6th walls close in
If you had to name one thing about Josh Hawley, the insurrectionist junior senator from Missouri who usurped Claire McCaskill’s seat, it would probably have to do with the moment he held up his fist to incite a crowd of rioters on January 6 of last year, likely the same moment that the media stopped dropping his name as a serious contender for the presidency. Now, as the US comes up on the first anniversary of an attempted coup, Hawley is changing his tone – mostly to complain about how Democrats are now using the investigation of January 6 as a means of seizing power.
All too often, the Republican tradition has been to project by accusing Democrats of whatever it is they’re either doing or planning, as a way to condition their supporters and much of the general public into giving them a chance to frame the conversation, with the benefit of the doubt thrown in. With this latest move, Hawley is passing the buck because he knows that not only is the committee closing ground with some things that won’t make the GOP look particularly good when it comes to the preservation of democracy, but probably something that implicates him in more of a role than just firing up the crowd.
It’s worth noting that Ted Cruz who fired people up for #StoptheSteal has also made remarks about impeaching President Biden if the GOP wins the midterms, so it’s hard to believe that this is merely a coincidence. If nothing else, it’s a clearer reason than ever to not only vote in 2022 against the GOP – but to register as many new voters as you can and keep Congress blue.
James Sullivan is the assistant editor of Brain World Magazine and an advocate of science-based policy making