GOP group invests $700,000 into backing Sen. Josh Hawley after he was scrutinized for inciting Capitol riot
- A political action committee has put $700,000 behind Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley after he was criticized for his role in inciting the January 6 Capitol insurrection, Axios reported.
- Hawley continued with his effort to dispute the electoral votes even after Trump supporters breached the Capitol.
- Critics have called on him to resign, and several Democrats have asked for an ethics probe into his and Sen. Ted Cruz's actions.
The Senate Conservatives Fund has put $700,000 in total behind Senator Josh Hawley after he was scrutinized for helping incite the mob that attacked the Capitol earlier this month, Axios reported.
Since January 12, the political action committee paid $397,782.53 to send more than 2 million texts and emails in support of Hawley. They also raised around $310,000 for his campaign committee, the outlet reported.
In one email that was sent out, executive director Mary Vought said: "The junior senator from Missouri's decision to object to the election results showed tremendous courage. It brought him instant scorn from the media and even a public rebuke from his own Senate leader."
Supporters of President Donald Trump breached the US Capitol and clashed with law enforcement on January 6, halting a joint session of Congress as lawmakers were set to certify President Joe Biden's election victory. The attack left five people dead.
While many Republicans abandoned their plans to dispute the election results following the violence, Hawley and Senator Ted Cruz pushed forward in an effort that would have been futile but gained them points with Trump's base.
Critics, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called on Hawley and Cruz to resign and Sen. Joe Manchin said the Senate should consider using the 14th Amendment to remove Cruz and Hawley.
Last week, seven Democratic senators called for an ethics probe into Hawley and Cruz over their objections to the Electoral College vote to determine whether or not their actions contributed to the Capitol siege.
In a statement, Hawley called the complaint "a flagrant abuse of the Senate ethics process and a flagrant attempt to exact partisan revenge."
Axios added that SCF's support for Hawley is helping him weigh a potential 2024 presidential run, especially as a number of corporate PACs said they wouldn't donate to Hawley and others who voted to contest the election.