Politics

Madison Cawthorn Says There Will Be ‘Bloodshed’ If US Elections ‘Continue To Be Rigged’

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Andrew Trunsky Political Reporter
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North Carolina Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn warned of “bloodshed” if American elections continue to be “rigged.”

“The things that we are wanting to fight for, it doesn’t matter if our votes don’t count,” Cawthorn told a crowd Sunday evening at a local GOP headquarters in Franklin County, North Carolina, according to a now-restricted livestream posted to Facebook and a series of videos circulated on Twitter by a Democratic congressional staffer. “Because, you know, if our election systems continue to be rigged and continue to be stolen, then it’s going to lead to one place — and it’s bloodshed.”

Many Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, have claimed the 2020 election was stolen, but dozens of lawsuits, recounts and investigations in multiple contested states have shown that it was free of widespread fraud.

Cawthorn, a freshman and one of the youngest lawmakers ever elected to the House, suggested he would take up arms against fellow Americans if left no other option in order to combat voter fraud.

“I will tell you, as much as I’m willing to defend liberty at all costs, there is nothing that I would dread doing more than having to pick up arms against a fellow American,” Cawthorn said. “And the way that we can have recourse against that is if we all passionately demand that we have election security in all 50 states.”

In a statement, Cawthorn spokesman Luke Ball said that the congressman was “in no way supporting or advocating for any form of violence.”

“In his comments, Congressman Cawthorn is clearly advocating for violence not to occur over election integrity questions,” Ball said. “He fears others would erroneously choose that route and strongly states that election integrity issues should be resolved peacefully and never through violence.” (RELATED: Madison Cawthorn Claims His Call To ‘Lightly Threaten’ Elected Officials Was Not A Threat Of Violence)

Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump supporters gathered in the nation's capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Since getting elected in November, Cawthorn has repeatedly questioned the results of the 2020 election, voting to overturn the results on Jan. 6 after calling lawmakers who did not vote to do so “cowards.”

“Congressman Cawthorn’s views on the 2020 election have remained consistent,” Ball said. “He raised objections to electors from several states in January because he had severe concerns about how the elections were conducted and how laws were changed last-minute to favor Democrats.”

He has sharply criticized President Joe Biden throughout his term, and on Sunday vowed to oust him.

“I will remove Joe Biden from office, and then, when Kamala Harris inevitably screws up, we will take them down, one at a time,” he said.

Cawthorn also defended the Jan. 6 rioters as “political prisoners” and “political hostages.” When asked by an audience member when he was “going to call us to Washington again,” he suggested that such plans were being developed.

“That — we are actively working on that one,” Cawthorn responded. “I don’t have an answer to that one right yet. But we are actively working on this. We have a few plans in motion that I can’t make public right now.”

Editor’s note: This article has been updated.

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