Freshman Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina is in hot water after an incriminating clip of him calling into a conservative talk show during the January 6 insurrection resurfaced on social media.
In the clip, Cawthorn told far-right provocateur Charlie Kirk he was heavily armed and used his wheelchair to transport "multiple weapons" into the Capitol on January 6. Bringing weapons into the Capitol is a crime under federal law.
Cawthorn is one of a handful of far-right Republican lawmakers, including Representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who are believed by many to have been involved in the January 6 attack.
See the video of Cawthorn's January 6 interview below.
Unearthed: Madison Cawthorn called into the Charlie Kirk show during the January 6th attack and said he used his wheelchair to transport \u201cmultiple weapons\u201d ahead of the Capitol riot and armed those around him.pic.twitter.com/AoQDaqSDjs— PatriotTakes \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@PatriotTakes \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1647267954
In the interview, which occurred during the assault on the Capitol itself, Cawthorn described to Kirk what he was doing during the insurrection that was happenin
"As you know I believe in the Second Amendment as well as a lot of other members, so we are armed, we're in a safe location. Can't disclose where..."
"...[O]bviously having the wheelchair I'm able to carry many multiple weapons at one time."
"So you know, everyone around me is armed and you know, I think an armed society is a polite society, so I feel very safe."
"We don't have any high nerves here. Everybody's very, very calm, very sober-minded."
Many have pointed out Cawthorn's admission he was carrying "multiple weapons" in his wheelchair can be construed as an implication he had come to the Capitol that day prepared for the insurrection ahead of time.
Cawthorn has in fact been heavily implicated in the planning of the events of January 6. Last fall, two people who were involved and are cooperating with federal investigations told authorities they attended "dozens" of planning meetings with White House staffers and members of Congress, including Cawthorn.
On Twitter, the instantly viral clip struck many as suspicious and incriminating.
Hmm...how did Madison Cawthorn know that there would be the need for weapons on January 6?https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140\u00a0\u2026— Katie S. Phang (@Katie S. Phang) 1647273271
Remember when his chief of staff's wife posted on Facebook before 1/6. They knew something.https://twitter.com/trustscience92/status/1475563029211324416?t=eKaFST4AvTPDgy_VQQQv1A&s=19\u00a0\u2026— Terri (@Terri) 1647270383
Madison Cawthorn used his disability to smuggle weapons into the Capitol prior to January 6th. \n\nMadison Cawthorn committed a felony.— Mushy Sparrow (@Mushy Sparrow) 1647268245
Madison Cawthorn admittedly brought weapons to the Capitol on January 6th.\n\nEarlier that day he tweeted "Go time."\n\nyou will go down, Madison #NeverForgetJanuary6th \nhttps://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140?s=20&t=TK_KX8HbQxFvFVeOcpDiLw\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/JXKugPoBwU— anita \ud83c\udf40 (@anita \ud83c\udf40) 1647280682
So\u2026am I getting this right, Madison Cawthorn KNEW to bring multiple weapons to the Capitol on 1/6 and SMUGGLED them in using his wheelchair?https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140\u00a0\u2026— PoliticsGirl (@PoliticsGirl) 1647272549
What makes you think he would have been shooting at the crowd instead of with the crowd?— Unqualified Opinions Only (@Unqualified Opinions Only) 1647269311
This seems like it should probably be a bigger story...https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140\u00a0\u2026— Charles Gaba \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Charles Gaba \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647275042
Madison Cawthorn poses an existential threat to our country and he must be removed from Congress and arrested as quickly as possible.https://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140\u00a0\u2026— Red (@Red) 1647287111
He needs to be questioned about what he meant by "multiple weapons," and who he helped to arm, and for what purpose, specifically. cc: @January6thCmtehttps://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140\u00a0\u2026— Amee Vanderpool \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Amee Vanderpool \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1647281425
So, Madison Cawthorn just publicly confessed to a felony. Interesting.— Julianna (@Julianna) 1647270016
Once again, my opponent Madison Cawthorn should resign for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Otherwise, we will ensure he is defeated at the ballot box in Novemberhttps://twitter.com/patriottakes/status/1503376879453147140\u00a0\u2026— Jasmine Beach-Ferrara (@Jasmine Beach-Ferrara) 1647271329
Cawthorn was recently the subject of a lawsuit in his home state of North Carolina aimed at barring him for running for reelection under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, on the basis of his support for the insurrection. A federal judge blocked the lawsuit earlier this month.
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