Rep. Frederica Wilson Calls for Prosecution for 'Making Fun of Members of Congress'
Florida Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson suggested Tuesday she wants people who make fun of members of Congress on the internet to prosecuted.
Speaking Tuesday outside the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children in Homestead, Florida, Wilson referred to some people who mock members of Congress online as “a disgrace,” the Washington Examiner noted.
“Those people who are online making fun of members of Congress are a disgrace, and there is no need for anyone think that is unacceptable [sic],” Wilson said.
“We’re going to shut them down and work with whoever it is to shut them down, and they should be prosecuted,” she said.
“You cannot intimidate members of Congress, frighten members of Congress. It is against the law, and it’s a shame in this United States of America.”
Wilson’s comments did not come without context.
The Florida Democrat appeared to be responding to a Pro Publica report published Monday that shared details of a private Facebook group made up of former and current Border Patrol agents.
Pro Publica reported that “some members of the group “discussed throwing burritos at Latino members of Congress visiting a detention facility in Texas on Monday and posted a vulgar illustration depicting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez engaged in oral sex with a detained migrant, according to screenshots of their postings.”
But the idea of bringing criminal charges against those who are mean to elected officials online seemed to disturb some pundits.
Is this a dare? https://t.co/Mt4F90S7Hq
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) July 2, 2019
“No, of course we don’t mean socialism like in Soviet Russia! Just slightly higher taxes & nice social programs!
…oh, and also, you get thrown in prison if you make fun of government officials.” https://t.co/vvGDCsc4ec
— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) July 2, 2019
“No, of course we don’t mean socialism like in Soviet Russia! Just slightly higher taxes & nice social programs!” conservative commentator Steven Crowder wrote, summing up what he saw as the liberal mindset in this regard. “Oh, and also, you get thrown in prison if you make fun of government officials.”
Democrat Rep. Frederica Wilson thinks people who “make fun of members of Congress” online “should be prosecuted.”
This sounds like something straight of Communist China ⬇️pic.twitter.com/G5zpnggP3d
— Students For Trump (@TrumpStudents) July 2, 2019
Wilson also found time on Tuesday to levy an attack on President Donald Trump.
“This is how this president has taken this country to its knees,” she said.
“People have lost respect for Congress. People have lost respect for the media and people have lost respect for the White House,” she added.
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