Rep. Madison Cawthorn.Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Rep.Madison Cawthorncontinues to shrug off criticism from those in his own party, even as myriad controversies against him continue to mount.
This week, he faced more controversy, when a political action committee dedicated to removing him from office filedan ethics complaintalleging that Cawthorn did not properly file House financial disclosures regarding “gifts and loans” given to his scheduler.
The complaint further alleges that Cawthorn should be investigated for alleged past behaviors, including bringing a “‘4.45-inch dagger’ to North Carolina public educational property on four documented occasions.
Meanwhile, fellow North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis is calling for abi-partisan ethics investigation of Cawthornfollowing a report that he may have been involved in insider trading.
Tillis' call for an investigation came afterThe Washington Examineruncovered a photo posted on Instagram Dec. 29, in which Cawthorn poses with the hedge fund manager who created the “Let’s Go Brandon” cryptocurrency.
In a comment below the photo, Cawthorn — who the Examiner reports has publicly said he owns the currency — wrote, “Tomorrow we go to the moon!”
Just one day later, the coin’s value spiked some 75% after NASCAR driverBrandon Brown— whose name has become synonymous with the anti-Biden “Let’s go Brandon” chant — announced the coin would be his primary sponsor.
Cawthorn, who was elected in 2020 at age 25, has a history ofheadline-making behaviorandsometimes controversial remarks, and has built his national profile both on his personal backstory (he uses a wheelchair after being paralyzed in a car crash) and his penchant forTrump-style provocation.
Cawthorn has denied ever doing anything sexually inappropriate.
That comment caused notable friction between Cawthorn and other members of the GOP, including House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who said the young lawmaker had"lost [his] trust.”
When asked about the claims that he had provided gifts to his scheduler, or the controversy from within GOP circles, a spokesperson for Cawthorn directed PEOPLE to two tweets. In one, Cawthornseemingly addresses the controversy stemming from recent leaked footage and photoswith: “Many of my colleagues would be nowhere near politics if they had grown up with a cell phone in their hands.”
In another, Cawthorn simply says, “We see through it, RINOs.”
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Cawthorn is currently running in a crowded GOP primary in North Carolina’s13th Districtthough voters have attempted to challenge his candidacy.
A federal judge struck down the voter group’s challenge to Cawthorn’s candidacy, though they are now appealing that decision.
source: people.com
