GOP files ‘decorum and civility’ complaint against Democrat who compiled their social media posts

A Republican filed a House complaint after his Democratic colleague compiled the social media posts of GOP members “who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election”.

Georgia’s Earl “Buddy” Carter said in the complaint released on Thursday that California’s Zoe Lofgren violated the rules “of decorum and civility”, according to The Washington Post.

In March, Ms Logren released a 1,900-page review of social media posts from representatives she said opposed certifying Electoral College votes to certify Joe Biden as president.

In the foreword of the report, Ms Lofgren wrote that members of Congress who “aided and abetted” or “incited the attack” threatened the country’s democracy, and that public social media statements “may be of consideration” for disciplinary action.

Mr Carter filed the complaint with the Communications Standards Commission last month, but it was only released and publicly reported in May.

It argues that Ms Lofgren abused official House communications to personalise and politicise attacks on more than 100 members of Congress.

“It serves only to further divide the House at a time when we should all be committed to unity and healing,” Mr Carter wrote, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.

“It attempts to bring so-called ‘cancel culture’ into the rightful debate between members of Congress.”

As the Post notes, the Republican ranking member on the Committee on House Administration, Rodney Davis, wrote to colleagues to file a complaint with the Communications Standards Commission if they “felt strongly” that about taking action against the report.

“[Ms Lofgren] argues in her report that these posts amounted to aiding and abetting the insurrection of the Capitol on January 6th and insinuates that it should be grounds for expelling Members,” the email said.

In a reply obtained by the Chronicle, Ms Lofgren defended the report as part of Congress’ duty to investigate any officeholder’s potential role in an insurrection.

“It is ironic that the complainant has accused me of somehow violating standards of civility and decorum by simply publishing other members’ own words,” she wrote.

The commission is evenly split along partisan lines, so a tied vote on the complaint would result in no violation.