Footage of Josh Hawley operating away from Capitol rioters hours after giving them a fist salute left the viewers on the Jan 6 committee in splits.
Democratic congresswoman Elaine Luria revealed the video at a prime-time listening to on Thursday after first displaying {a photograph} of Mr Hawley displaying his help to protesters earlier than Congress met to certify the presidential election.
“As you can see in this photo, he raised his fist in solidarity with the protesters already amassing at the security gates,” she stated.
The committee then performed video footage of Mr Hawley operating at a brisk tempo via the Capitol constructing, then jogging down some stairs, as rioters entered the constructing.
The footage sparked a sequence of memes, remixes with iconic soundtracks and plenty of different reactions on social media.
The committee room, filled with reporters, congressional aides, safety employees and guests, erupted with laughter as soon as the footage was performed.
On social media, Mr Hawley continues to be being mocked in several methods, together with being requested if he deliberate to “run” for the presidency.
“Y’all better run to the polls like Josh Hawley ran from the insurrection,” wrote Associated Press reporter Stephen Groves.
“From now on, if political reporters ask Josh Hawley if he’s planning to run, he’s going to have to ask them to clarify,” wrote journalist Gregg Kilday.
The submit additionally sparked indignant reactions from Democrats and their supporters who known as Mr Hawley a “traitor” for inciting the mob that he later ran away from.
“Josh Hawley ran away from the mob he riled up. A traitor and a coward,” wrote Scott Dworkin, co-founder of the Democrat coalition.
“[Hawley]’s legacy will forever be fleeing from the same mob he helped incite,” wrote The Lincoln Project, a vocal political motion committee fashioned by anti-Trump Republicans.
“Noted stunt queen Sen Josh Hawley encourages the Jan 6 mob, then runs away like a coward,” consultant Malcolm Kenyatta wrote.
The House committee listening to revealed Mr Hawley’s motion of encouraging the group on 6 January had “riled up” the group that day.
Mr Hawley was one of many first few Republicans to say he would object to leads to key states received by Joe Biden in 2020 and has denied allegations that he inspired the mob.
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk