[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 14 (Monday, January 25, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E66]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONDEMNING IRRESPONSIBLE DEFAMATION IN CONGRESS

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                           HON. PAUL A. GOSAR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 25, 2021

  Mr. GOSAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my dismay that 
members of Congress are making unfounded claims of treason and sedition 
against their colleagues without evidence to back their outlandish 
claims. By this, I mean the numerous members alleging that members 
aided in ``reconnaissance'' tours for those individuals who would storm 
the Capitol during the Electoral College certification.
  These accusations leveled by several members make these bold 
statements without offering a shred of evidence. In fact, over 30 
members put their names on a letter which made these allegations 
without even an indication to whom they were referring to. In the 
absence of fact, these accusations have allowed conspiracy to permeate 
the narrative from the deepest enclaves of the Internet. Leftist media 
sources, from major 24 hour broadcast companies to biogs, have picked 
up on these hollow accusations, and the effects have been damaging.
  Since evidence and due process have been replaced with speculation, 
members of Congress are being deemed guilty of these crimes, including 
myself. In fact, there is now a narrative running that since I 
supported the objection to the certification of the count, I must be 
one of the members guilty of this treason. Multiple media sources have 
reported as ``fact'' that me and other objectors conducted tours of the 
Capitol to do some type of ``reconnaissance''. This is patently and 
unequivocally false. They offered no proof of this scurrilous and 
defamatory falsehood. I asked Capitol Police to pull and preserve all 
video footage from House security cameras which can establish with 
finality who, if anyone, gave even one tour during the days leading to 
the unrest. I can say this: my office has not given a tour since 
February 2020. The continuing publication of this defamation by members 
of Congress and media is unprofessional, unethical, and actionable.
  The increase in violent, threatening messages received in our offices 
because of the irresponsible political messaging from my colleagues in 
coordination with their media pals is sickening and indicative of our 
larger societal issues, such as a media which tells their viewers what 
they know to be true, not what the facts are. So, let me set the record 
straight. I have not given a tour of the Capitol since 2017, and my 
staff has not given a tour since they closed to the public early in 
2020 as a COVID-19 response. Further, at no time did anyone with Stop 
the Steal talk to me about violence, and my efforts to speak to the 
American people and fight for my constituents were guided by the First 
Amendment and the Electoral Count Act of 1878.
  Madam Speaker, the purpose of this body is to serve as the voice of 
the American people, a voice which speaks with honesty to conduct the 
business of this country and contribute to the overall good. Yet, the 
passions of humanity can undermine these principles, and these 
unfounded accusations are a menace to the traditions of this body. 
Therefore, Madam Speaker, I condemn my colleagues irresponsible actions 
and their use of their official powers to fuel a media spectacle for 
their own political benefit. Their willingness to set these mistruths 
into the public and not interject when the truth is deviated from and 
innocent people are blamed is defamation, conspiratorial, and faulty 
justice. Much like McCarthyism or the witch hunt conducted these last 
four years, history will not look kindly on this abuse of Congressional 
power, and therefore I implore my colleagues to either set the record 
straight with evidence or retract these claims immediately to resecure 
their position in history.

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