Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

GOP Rep. Slammed For Mimicking Holocaust Quote To Sell Campaign Merch On Twitter

GOP Rep. Slammed For Mimicking Holocaust Quote To Sell Campaign Merch On Twitter
Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee/Getty Images

For someone who claims not to be enamored of Hitler and the Nazis, freshman Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina sure does seem to have a penchant for invoking Nazi symbolism on social media.

Cawthorn's newest antics, while subtler than, say, Instagramming his vacation to see Hitler's vacation home, are just as shocking.


Yesterday, Cawthorn repurposed a quote about the Holocaust to promote a sale on campaign merch—the day after Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In a tweet promoting the sale, Cawthorn wrote:

"First they came for our Free Speech, then they came for our Free Markets, next they'll come for our Free Shipping on orders $50 or more with promo code: FREEDOM50."

The tweet is a mimickry of a poem about the Holocaust by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller.

It is among the most commonly cited works from the Nazi era.

It reads:

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist."
"Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist."
"Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew."
"Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."

Nothing like joking around about the genocide of 6 million Jews and 5 million others—Romani, intellectuals, the disabled and LGBTQ people.

But given Cawthorn's history, this sort of profoundly crass dog whistling is par for the course. He expressed offense at the suggestion he was anti-Semitic and obliquely called the Holocaust "one of the greatest evils of human history."

Cawthorn nonetheless called his visit to Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat an item on his "bucket list." He also referred to Hitler with the honorific "Führer" in his Instagram posts documenting that trip.

He has also spoken openly about his attempts to convert Jews to Christianity, calling them "difficult" for their resistance to his proselytizing. And he closely aligned himself with right-wing extremist politicians who have trafficked in conspiracy theories like QAnon, which frequently makes thinly veiled, and sometimes overt, anti-Semitic claims.

On Twitter, many people were profoundly disgusted by Cawthorn's audacious tweet.











Cawthorn may or may not be an anti-Semite himself, but he certainly has no problem aligning with Congresspeople who are and mocking the Holocaust for clicks.

Interesting choices for someone who claims to be offended by the accusation of anti-Semitism.

More from Trending

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

AOC Calls Out Colleagues Over Suspicious Stock Market Activity Minutes Before Trump's Tariffs Pause

New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out her own Congressional colleagues who might have participated in insider trading after it was reported that NASDAQ call volume spiked just minutes before President Donald Trump announced he'd pause his retaliatory tariffs.

Trump declared a full 90-day suspension of all the “reciprocal” tariffs that took effect at midnight—except for those on China—in a dramatic about-face from a president who had long championed his historically high tariff rates as permanent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sterling K. Brown; Kelly Clarkson
@kellyclarksonshow/TikTok

Sterling K. Brown Gets Kelly Clarkson Choked Up With Emotional Reason He Stopped Going By His Middle Name

On his birthday, Sterling K. Brown guest-starred on the Kelly Clarkson Show, during which Clarkson inquired about the history of his name. When he was young, he went by his middle name, Kelby, only to later switch to Sterling, which made Clarkson curious.

She also shared a fun story about her son, Remington, who introduced himself during a red carpet event as "Remington Alexander" instead of as "Remy or Remington Blackstock."

Keep ReadingShow less
Megan Fox; Machine Gun Kelly
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

'The Onion' Just Dragged Machine Gun Kelly With A Brutal Headline—And Even He Got A Kick Out Of It

Hey, at least he has a sense of humor about his break-up with Megan Fox.

Musician Machine Gun Kelly couldn't help but laugh when beloved satirical news site The Onion took a jab at his less than parental image following the birth of his first child with ex Megan Fox.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Andrew Isker
Contra Mundum Podcast

Christian Podcaster Roasted After Claiming He Opts For TSA Pat-Down For Truly Bonkers Reason

Christian nationalist Andrew Isker from Tennessee avoids walking through an airport security scanner at all costs because he claims it makes people gay.

So what's the alternative method he prefers for security clearance? A full body pat down by male TSA agents, of course.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Nancy Mace Ripped After Raging Over 'Evil' Constituents Asking Her To Host Town Hall

In March, House Speaker Mike Johnson and other GOP leaders held a caucus meeting to instruct Republican members of Congress to cancel town halls and avoid their constituents for the foreseeable future. But South Carolina MAGA Republican Representative Nancy Mace decided to take things a bit further.

Mace posted three videos attacking her own constituents for sending her an invitation and repeatedly asking for a town hall.

Keep ReadingShow less