US House censures Republican Paul Gosar for posting violent anime video of killing Democrat

For the first time in over a decade, the US House of Representatives have censured a member on Wednesday.  

The House criticised the Republican lawmaker over an anime video. In the clip, Representative Paul Gosar was depicted killing progressive Democrat Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and swinging two swords at US President Joe Biden.  

In the Democratic-controlled House, Gosar was called to the stand in the well of the chamber to hear his censure. He was also stripped of two committee assignments after the 223-207 largely party-line vote.

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This move got only two votes of support from Republicans. The party largely decried the action by the Democrats as partisan politics. This month, Gosar had posted the anime video.   

In debate before the vote, Ocasio-Cortez asked, "What is so hard about saying this is wrong? Will we live up to the promises that we make our children, that this is a place where we will defend one another regardless of belief, that our core human dignity matters?"  

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Gosar, who is a staunch Trump ally and hardline conservative, rejected the accusations that the video was "dangerous or threatening."  

"There is no threat in the cartoon other than the threat that immigration poses to our country," Gosar said, while adding that he did not also advocate violence towards anyone.  

(With inputs from agencies)