Letter by NC 11 Democratic Party calls for expulsion of Rep. Cawthorn; Cawthorn responds

HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Several local leaders are calling for an investigation into U.S. Congressman Madison Cawthorn (R-District 11), claiming he is responsible for inciting violence that took place during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

A letter sent on Saturday, Jan. 9, to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, signed by N.C. District 11 leaders of the Democratic Party, lists examples they say are grounds for Rep. Cawthorn's expulsion from Congress.

'I DON'T FEEL I HAD ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM ATTACKING THE CAPITOL,' CAWTHORN SAYS

"Mr. Cawthorn needs to be held accountable for his seditious behavior and for the consequences resulting from said behavior," the letter states. "The voters of North Carolina deserve the truth from our elected officials. We will not tolerate misinformation, conspiracy theories, and lies from our Representatives."

The letter requests the House of Representatives conduct an investigation for Ethics Violations, or, for the House to censure Rep. Cawthorn.

Despite his tweets urging “millions of patriotic Americans stand for their country,” Cawthorn told News 13 on Thursday that he felt no culpability in what unfolded Wednesday afternoon.

VIDEO CAPTURED MOMENT PROTESTERS ENTERED US CAPITOL

“I don't feel I had any responsibility for them attacking the Capitol,” Rep. Cawthorn said. “It was despicable. They are thugs.”

Congressman Cawthorn's campaign responded Saturday to a request for comment by News 13.

The statement read:

Unlike NC-11 Democrats, Madison Cawthorn condemns mob violence under any banner. NC-11 Democrats were silent when left-wing mobs attacked civilians, businesses and law enforcement in Asheville. They have no moral authority to speak up now when they were silent then.

Cawthorn has condemned the abhorrent violence on January 6. He has criticized President Trump for directing protestors toward the Capitol and repeatedly told protestors that the legal pathway to address their concerns was through debate on the house floor, by their elected representatives, not violence in the streets of the Capital. Principled conservatives disagreed about the 2020 election. But debating whether Congress should accept or reject electoral votes in states that may have ignored their own laws was entirely appropriate and legal under our Constitution.

You can read the full text of the letter sent to Speaker Pelosi below:

Dear Madam Speaker,

On behalf of the Democratic Party of North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, we respectfully request action to address the seditious behavior of our newly elected Congressman, Madison Cawthorn, on or before the insurrection of January 6, 2021:

(1) Mr. Cawthorn’s Twitter feed leading up to January 6 was filled with strong, violent language encouraging his supporters to go to the Capitol to demonstrate their patriotism and show “what their spines are made of.”

(2) In a speech to the crowd at the rally immediately before the Capitol was attacked, Representative Cawthorn incited the crowd again using violent language and calling his colleagues “cowards.”

(3) He later issued a Tweet encouraging rioters to enter the U.S. Capitol and to join him in his fight when he wrote, “I’m fighting a battle for our Constitution on the House floor with other patriots. The battle is on the House floor, not in the streets of D.C.”

(4) Since January 6, in spite of the above, he has repeatedly denied any culpability in the resulting mob action of illegally breaching the Security of the Capitol Building, of illegally taking over the US Senate and House of Representatives chambers, of the disruption of Congress’s carrying out its official Constitutional duties, of destruction of federal property, and of inciting mob action resulting in the deaths of five people.

Mr. Cawthorn needs to be held accountable for his seditious behavior and for the consequences resulting from said behavior. The voters of North Carolina deserve the truth from our elected officials. We will not tolerate misinformation, conspiracy theories, and lies from our Representatives.

Therefore, we respectfully request hat the House of Representatives conduct an investigation for Ethics Violations regarding Mr. Cawthorn’s aforementioned Acts of Sedition. If the 2/3rds vote necessary for expulsion can not be secured, we request that the House of Representatives formally censure Mr. Cawthorn on behalf of his constituents in the 11th Congressional District.

Respectfully,

Kathy Sinclair, ChairNC 11th Congressional District Democrats – Buncombe County

Clay Eddleman,1st Vice Chair – Henderson County

Karen Smith, 3rd Vice Chair – Macon County

Lorna Barnett, Secretary – Jackson County

Gayle Wayne, Treasurer – Henderson County