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| Photo Credit: Twitter @drsimongold. |
A GOP congressman has celebrated as “hero” a January 6, 2021 rioter released from federal prison Friday with the American flag, Newsweek reports. Republican Texas Representative Louie Gohmert, presented Dr. Simone Gold with a flag for her heroic feat describing her as a “patriot”.
On Twitter
Gold posted photos Friday of Gohmert presenting her with the flag, and wrote: "I
am honored to receive this recognition from Congressman Gohmert, a true
believer in freedom and a fierce defender of our constitutional rights."
In a retweet
of Gold’s tweet, the Republican lawmaker said the rioter “is a patriot and an
American hero.”
Gold pleaded
guilty in March to entering or remaining inside a restricted building, and
agreed to pay a fine for her other charges including disorderly conduct,
demonstrating inside the Capitol, and obstruction of a government proceeding,
Newsweek reported.
Gold is the
founder of America’s Frontline Doctors, criticized for spreading misinformation
and the promotion of hydroxychloroquine during the COVID-19 pandemic as
possible cure for the virus, according to Newsweek.
Is Gold a convicted January 6 rioter?
Gold was
sentenced to 60 days in prison but was released from a Miami federal prison two
weeks earlier, MedPage Today reported, according to Newsweek.
Representative
Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican who is also a member of the January 6
committee criticized Gohmert for presenting the American to Gold. On
"This
is sick," Kinzinger tweeted.
"As a Veteran and an American I have had moments that light a fire inside of me. This is one of them. To take an individual guilty of an assault on Democracy and give them the flag of the country they spit on? Louie Gohmert is a waste of oxygen," Victor Ruiz, a former combat medic, tweeted.
Newsweek
reported that in a statement on Friday on his website, Gohmert said:
"After having her name and reputation shamefully dragged through the mud,
the Biden administration's DOJ threw her in prison for peacefully walking into
the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and delivering a speech. Dr. Gold is the definition
of what a political prisoner looks like—something I never thought I'd see here
in the United States of America."
"God
Bless Dr. Gold. History will not look kindly upon those who persecuted—and
prosecuted—doctors who spoke out against the COVID lockdown, mask and vaccine
mandates," he added
In July, Gohmert
described the riot s a conspiracy set-up by the Democrats.