Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez excoriated Senator Josh Hawley on Thursday for complaining that his publisher cancelled his book deal over what it called his role in Wednesday’s riot at the US Capitol.
“You fist-pumped insurrectionists and baselessly attacked our elections. Your actions fueled a riot and you fundraised in the chaos. Five people are dead,” tweeted the progressive Democrat.
“Even your GOP colleagues have distanced from your acts. Yet here you are crying over a book deal. You should be expelled.”
Hawley was the first Republican to say he would object to the ceremonial certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College votes, even though each state had already certified its results despite President Donald Trump pursuing every legal avenue to contest the loss and failing to produce any evidence to support his “stolen election” accusation.
On Wednesday, as Congress convened to carry out its certification process, Trump egged on a crowd on the National Mall to march on the Capitol in protest. The crowd turned violent and breached and occupied the federal building.
Simon & Schuster said Thursday it would cancel the publication of Hawley’s book, “The Tyranny of Big Tech,” which was set for release in June.
It said it could not support Hawley “after his role in what became a dangerous threat to our democracy and freedom.”
Hawley posted a Twitter statement calling the decision “Orwellian.”
“It’s a direct assault on the First Amendment,” he said. “Only approved speech can now be published. This is the Left looking to cancel everyone they don’t approve of. I will fight this cancel culture with everything I have. We’ll see you in court.”
The Missouri senator has been widely condemned for his efforts to halt Congress’s certification of the electoral votes ― which he continued even after the riots.
He was pictured raising his fist to protesters outside the Capitol before the riots began, and during the ensuing violence, he put out a fundraising email promoting his planned objection to Arizona’s electoral votes.
In an editorial published by the Kansas City Star, the newspaper’s board said Hawley had “blood on his hands.”
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