The House voted on Wednesday to censure Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) over an animated video he posted that depicted him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). All Democrats and two Republicans voted in favor of the censure, and Gosar was stripped of his two committee assignments, reports BuzzFeed News.
This marked "the first time a sitting House member has been censured in more than 10 years," reports CNN's Jim Acosta. The resolution stated that depictions of violence can lead to real harm being done to people. Gosar defended himself by saying "it was not my purpose to make anyone upset," and argued the cartoon was simply making a statement about immigration policy. "There is no threat in the cartoon other than the threat immigration poses to our country," he said on the House floor ahead of the vote. He also compared himself to Alexander Hamilton, who faced a failed censure vote as treasury secretary.
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