After being caught on camera calling Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky a “thug,” scandal-prone GOP Representative Madison Cawthorn is attempting to pull back the remarks that have even drawn criticism from his own party. During a recent speaking event in North Carolina, Cawthorn unloaded on Zelensky as well as the entire country of Ukraine by spreading what some have called pro-Putin propaganda.
“Remember that Zelenskyy is a thug,” Cawthorn said in the now-viral video. “Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies.”
“Zelenskyy is a thug. Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies.”
h/t @WRAL pic.twitter.com/cf3sew7MOp
— The Republican Accountability Project (@AccountableGOP) March 10, 2022
Cawthorn’s comments were quickly rebuked by North Carolina Republican State Senator Chuck Edwards, according to WRAL:
“Let’s be clear. The thug is Vladimir Putin,” Edwards wrote on Twitter. “We must unite as a nation to pray for President Zelenskyy and the brave people of Ukraine who are fighting for their lives and their freedom. Anything less is counter to everything we stand for in America.”
Even longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove got in the action by saying Cawthorn’s comments, “didn’t reflect Republican opinion.” Realizing the situation was turning on him, Cawthorn took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon in an attempt to massage the situation as the headlines began to pile up. However, Cawthorn continued to accuse Zelensky of pushing “misinformation.”
“The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting,” Cawthorn tweeted. “But leaders, including Zelensky, should NOT push misinformation on America. I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Pray also we are not drawn into conflict based on foreign leaders pushing misinformation.”
The actions of Putin and Russia are disgusting.
But leaders, including Zelensky, should NOT push misinformation on America.
I am praying for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
Pray also we are not drawn into conflict based on foreign leaders pushing misinformation.
— Rep. Madison Cawthorn (@RepCawthorn) March 10, 2022
At this time, it probably wouldn’t hurt to note that the story of how Cawthorn met his wife sounds like it was ripped straight from The Americans. Namely, the part where Cawthorn met a guy at a Russian casino who “put me in the same room with the girl who would eventually become my fiancee.” The marriage didn’t last long, but the revelation about their shady meet-cute had people cracking jokes that Cawthorn’s divorce just went from “boring information to national security concern.”
(Via WRAL)
Source: https://uproxx.com/viral/madison-cawthorn-zelensky-thug-ukraine-evil-woke/