WASHINGTON — Sen. Josh Hawley has filed a counter-complaint against seven Democratic senators who last week asked for an investigation into the actions of Hawley and Ted Cruz to "fully understand their role" in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
Hawley sent a letter to the Senate Ethics Committee on Monday alleging ethics abuse and calling the Democrats' complaint "a transparent attempt by seven Senators to punish a political opponent for the entirely lawful representation of their constituents."
In a separate letter to the seven Democrats, Hawley said, "The idea that one Senator who disagrees with another Senator can therefore have that Senator punished, sanctioned, censured, or removed is utterly antithetical to our democracy and the very idea of open, lawful debate."
Thousands had gathered on Jan. 6 as Congress voted to formally certify President Joe Biden's victory over former President Donald Trump in November. Hawley and Cruz led objections in the Senate to Biden's victory, despite the widespread recognition that the effort would fail. They continued to object after rioters rushed the Capitol.
The Democratic senators -- Sheldon Whitehouse, Tina Smith, Mazie K. Hirono, Sherrod Brown, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal and Tim Kaine
-- wrote to the Senate Ethics Committee last Thursday. They claimed Cruz and Hawley announced their intentions to object even though they knew that claims of election fraud were baseless and had led to threats of violence.
"Their actions lend credence to the insurrectionists' cause and set the stage for future violence. And both senators used their objections for political fundraising," they said in their letter.
The Democratic senators said the question for the Senate to determine is not whether Cruz and Hawley had the right to object, but whether the senators failed to put loyalty "to the highest moral principles and to country above loyalty to persons, party, or Government department."
In the letter to the Democrats, Hawley said he considered calling on them to resign, "But I continue to believe in the First Amendment, which the US Supreme Court has repeatedly said protects even ‘offensive’ and malicious speech, such as yours," he said.
"The First Amendment does not, however, give you carte blanche to abuse the Senate ethics process. I have today filed a complaint with the ethics committee that details your deliberate and partisan abuse of this process, including your apparent coordination with various dark money groups, and requests that you be appropriately disciplined."
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Hawley's full letter to the Democrats is below:
Dear Senators:
I was astounded to see the outrageous personal and partisan attack you labeled an “ethics complaint.” It is a startling abuse of the ethics process and a direct assault on democratic debate.
The idea that one Senator who disagrees with another Senator can therefore have that Senator punished, sanctioned, censured, or removed is utterly antithetical to our democracy and the very idea of open, lawful debate. This line of thinking is, however, sadly consistent with the new woke-mob mentality that you should cancel anyone who disagrees with your views. Your baseless allegations are in that sense unfortunately typical of today’s leftwing cancel culture, a culture that tramples on the democratic traditions that left and right once defended together.
Your insinuation that Senator Cruz and I, by representing our constituents in debate in a manner you acknowledge is lawful, following the precedent set by Democratic members of Congress over the last three decades, somehow bear responsibility for the criminal rioters at the Capitol is shamefully false. And you know it to be so.
You well know that multiple members of your own party have raised objections to the Electoral College results in 3 elections over the past 25 years, which is to say, every single time a Republican President has been elected. You of course did not call for the expulsion of any of these members, and for one reason: they are in the same political party as you are.
In light of the shameful abuse of the ethics process you have deliberately engaged in, I have considered whether I should call for you to resign or be expelled from the Senate. But I continue to believe in the First Amendment, which the US Supreme Court has repeatedly said protects even “offensive” and malicious speech, such as yours.
The First Amendment does not, however, give you carte blanche to abuse the Senate ethics process. I have today filed a complaint with the ethics committee that details your deliberate and partisan abuse of this process, including your apparent coordination with various dark money groups, and requests that you be appropriately disciplined.
In closing, please understand this: I will not be intimidated by your efforts to silence me, the people of my state will not be intimidated by you, and you should be ashamed to have so grossly abused your office and the Senate.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator
Read Hawley's full filing to the Senate Ethics Committee in the document below:
Read the full filing by the 7 Senate Democrats in the document below:
