Rep. Paul Gosar accused of using white nationalist rhetoric at committee hearing

Rep. Paul Gosar drew attention this week at a congressional hearing both for his actions and his words.

At a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability meeting on Tuesday with two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, Gosar's remarks about an "invasion" and "changing our culture" caused some to allege that the Arizona Republican was using white nationalist rhetoric.

Additionally, his physical movements while sitting down renewed speculation about his health.

Of the situation at the border, Gosar said at the meeting: "(President) Joe Biden does have a plan. His plan is to deliberately open our borders and cede power to the cartels. ... What's the answer to this mess for Biden and the Democrats? More Big Brother? More control? Even changing our culture? Instead of empowering these two brave individuals and the rest of the Border Patrol seated here in front of us with the tools they need to stem the invasion of illegal aliens, Biden sends billions upon billions to Ukraine to protect a border of another country."

A Twitter account run by Democratic oversight committee members tweeted: "Good morning and good luck to everyone except @GOPoversight members who are using today's hearing to amplify white nationalist conspiracy theories instead of a comprehensive solution to protect our borders and strengthen our immigration system."

Zachary Mueller, political director at America's Voice, a liberal group that advocates for immigration reform, said the words Gosar uses about an invasion and a changing culture are dangerous because it has been used by extremists who have carried out deadly attacks, including the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, the Buffalo shooter and the El Paso Walmart shooter who pleaded guilty on Wednesday.

Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people, allegedly said online: "This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas. I am simply defending my country from cultural and ethnic replacement brought on by an invasion."

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"It's clear to anybody it's absurd that somehow migrants and asylum seekers represent a literal invasion. We don't we only have to look to Ukraine and see the Russian invasion there to understand what a real invasion looks like," Mueller told The Arizona Republic. "How do you stop an invasion besides with violence?

"And so I think it's really important that we understand that rhetoric is tied to this white nationalist conspiracy theory, but that also leads to downstream serious violent consequences when some individual takes it upon themselves to fulfill and believes in that conspiracy," Mueller added.

Mueller also said that Gosar's words are linked to the false and racist Great Replacement Theory.

"And this great replacement theory that this invasion rhetoric is linked to, what's he's talking about with culture, is an old theory but it has been repackaged anew in recent years," he said. "It basically says that Jews, the elite, the left, Democrats ... that they are intentionally and facilitating unauthorized migration from the global south of nonwhite migrants into the global North and therefore is an existential threat to real Americans or white Americans. And they are intentionally doing this to usurp democracy and take over the country."

Gosar's statements represent the popularization of a theory once on the periphery, and given the legitimacy of being backed by powerful elected representatives, Mueller said.

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"This isn't just some loser in his basement typing online. This is a representative of the United States Congress," Mueller aside.

Gosar has faced criticism in the past for aligning himself with white nationalist Nick Fuentes.

In response to the allegations of using white nationalist rhetoric, Gosar told The Republic in a written statement:

“Illegal immigration changes our culture of law and order. We have a lawful process for immigration. Millions of people have immigrated here lawfully. But in the last two years, six million illegal aliens have violated our laws, and are changing our culture based on the Rule of Law. I have spoken frequently about the importance of the Rule of Law in the success of America.  Illegal immigration violates the Rule of Law and denigrates our culture, our standards, and weakens our institutions. Just this week a hospital in my district is threatened with economic bankruptcy because it is being forced to treat illegal aliens while turning away citizens needing medical attention, including pregnant mothers. Homelessness in Arizona is increasing as the Biden administration uses tax money to pay for hotels and apartments, and citizens get evicted to make room or must leave because the government payouts increase the cost of rent."    "I stand by my remarks," Gosar concluded. "Illegal aliens alter our culture in a negative way. My colleague on the committee spoke about legal immigration being a part of our culture. And with that I agree. But I part ways with them on illegal immigration. To say that the Rule of Law is 'white supremacy' or 'white nationalism' is ignorant, foolish and dangerous."

Aside from his rhetoric, Gosar's actions during the hearing, such as oscillating his head from one direction to another, raised questions online about his well-being. Such movements for years have spurred scrutiny about his health. Gosar has said that he is healthy.

Twitter user @Leslieannscott posted: "@RepGosar I’m not cruel like (former President Donald) Trump who mocks disabled people but I’m telling you, stress can aggravate your problem and you need to take care of your health. Something is very wrong."

@j1schneider wrote: "Why does he move his head like that??"

Gosar, 64, disclosed to The Republic in 2015 that arthritis and two compressed vertebrae in his neck and lower back had caused nerve issues in his hand and that he had experienced complications from a hip replacement.

"I’m as healthy as a horse," Gosar told The Republic at the time. "Not gonna get rid of me that easily."

Tara Kavaler is a politics reporter at at The Arizona Republic. She can be reached by email at tara.kavaler@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @kavalertara.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Paul Gosar accused of using white nationalist rhetoric