The Texas Republican Party is facing backlash after tweeting a slogan reportedly associated with a QAnon conspiracy theory related to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol building.
The tweet from the Texas GOP account shows the party is now on the social media site Gab.
We’re on Gab! pic.twitter.com/7KJ64xPBcu
— Texas GOP (@TexasGOP) January 23, 2021
The phrase “We are the storm” in the graphic is reportedly used by followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory. The movement is listed as a domestic terrorist threat by the FBI, Yahoo News reports. (RELATED: ‘QAnon Shaman’ Seeks Presidential Pardon From Trump, Says He Received ‘Invitation’ To Riot)
The Texas GOP indicates that the phrase “We are the storm” comes from one of Chairman Allen West’s favorite poems.
— Texas GOP (@TexasGOP) January 24, 2021
The New York Times in August called the Texas GOP’s use of the phrase “an unusually visible example of the Republican Party’s dalliance with QAnon.”
“Chairman West will not allow leftist partisans in the media to badger conservatives and Republicans,” the Texas GOP said in a statement in August, responding to The New York Times’ criticism.
Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, accuse the GOP on Twitter of using the election loss to “be crazier.”
Texas GOP has incorporated QAnon “storm” bullshit into its branding. We’re watching the party devolve in real time as the lesson they apparently learned from their presidential election loss is “be crazier.” https://t.co/baQo5juWR3
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) January 24, 2021