Rep. Paul Gosar faced blowback from his own brothers Thursday as more relatives of the Arizona Republican condemned his recent words and actions regarding the Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol building.
Several of Mr. Gosar’s nine siblings have now criticized his vote this week against honoring the police officers who responded to the Capitol riot and claims that one of them had “executed” a rioter.
David Gosar appeared on CNN to apologize “on behalf of the actual sane members of our family, which is everyone but Paul,” for what he called his “despicable comments and disgraceful conduct” since Jan. 6.
“He talks himself into these positions because it benefits Paul,” he added. “But it’s disingenuous at its core at some level. He doesn’t believe it.”
“Once you lose your focus on the truth, once you become someone that peddles in lies, once you become basically a snake oil salesman, the trust a really slippery thing to get your arms around,” Tim Gosar said about his brother during the same CNN appearance. “It’s really hard to go back to the truth once you become a pathological liar like Paul has become.”
Jennifer Gosar, the congressman’s sister, similarly criticized her lawmaker brother Wednesday and said that she “absolutely” believes he bears some responsibility for the events of Jan. 6.
Mr. Gosar was among the more outspoken Republicans pushing claims of voter fraud after former President Trump was defeated in November.
Mobs of Trump supporters who believe the 2020 election was stolen rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6 as members of Congress met to certify the results of the race and affirm President Biden’s victory.
Close to 140 officers from the U.S. Capitol Police and D.C. Metropolitan Police Department were injured in the riot, according to the Capitol Police Labor Committee, a union that represents USCP members.
Rioter Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot inside the Capitol by a police officer as she tried to break into the Speaker’s Lobby and other rioters smashed windows. Mr. Gosar claimed this week the woman was “executed” by a USCP officer who appeared to have been waiting in ambush for her.
Mr. Gosar had previously said Babbitt was executed, including at a May committee hearing where he claimed the government was “harassing peaceful patriots across the country” by arresting suspected rioters.
More recently, the House voted Tuesday in favor of giving the Congressional Gold Medal to police officers who responded to the riot, notwithstanding objections from 21 Republicans, including Mr. Gosar.
Mr. Gosar’s office said in a press release that he voted against the measure because the riot was the result of “massive leadership and security failures” and, thus, the officers “do not deserve medals.”
CNN reported that Mr. Gosar’s office declined to comment. A spokesperson for the congressman did not immediately respond to a message from The Washington Times requesting his reaction to the criticism.
Several of Mr. Gosar’s siblings have publicly slammed him before, including six who appeared in a 2018 campaign advertisement endorsing his Democratic rival in the race.
The officer who fatally shot Babbitt was cleared of wrongdoing in April. The woman’s family recently sued the Capitol Police in a bid to learn the officer’s identity.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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