Congressional Democrats have introduced a motion to censure the Republican for posting a video of himself as an anime hero battling titan-esque villains US President Joe Biden and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
The motion introduced in the House on Friday has the support of two Republicans known for their opposition to the previous US president, Donald Trump.
Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar tweeted the video, based on the hit Japanese anime Attack on Titan, earlier this week.
The video displays the cartoon's sword-wielding hero with Gosar's face matted on, while the eponymous titans he fights have the likenesses of the US president and the New York lawmaker. The altered footage from the animation is intercut with footage of undocumented immigrants crossing the US border from Mexico and US Customs and Border Police patrolling the area.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said he "would need to see the wording of the resolution" before voting for it, but was "generally" in favour. Additionally, Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney said Gosar should be reprimanded “for his continued indefensible activities”.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has remained quiet amid the row, drawing criticism from Cheney who called his lack of support "a real symbol of his lack of strength".
Cheney described Gosar as an "avowed white nationalist," echoing AOC's claim earlier this week that Gosar "fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups".
Trump has branded both Cheney and Kinzinger, who will retire from Congress next year at the age of 44, as RINOs — Republicans In Name Only.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has asked the House Ethics Committee and law enforcement agencies to investigate the tweet, although it is not clear what crime may have been committed.
The motion accuses Gosar of "spreading hateful and false rhetoric about immigrants" and accuses the Republican party's congressional leadership of failing to condemn his "threats of violence against the President of the United States and a fellow Member of Congress".
The claim states that "depictions of violence can foment actual violence and jeopardize the safety of elected officials," citing the deadly January 6 attack on the Capitol building by Trump-supporters opposed to Biden's confirmation as president-elect.
One paragraph in particular echoes AOC's political rhetoric:
"Violence against women in politics is a global phenomenon meant to silence women and discourage them from seeking positions of authority and participating in public life, with women of color disproportionately impacted," it reads.
Gosar spokesperson Jessica Lycos said earlier this week that outraged liberals should look for humour in the tweet.
"Everyone needs to relax," Lycos remarked. "The left doesn’t get meme culture. They have no joy. They are not the future. It’s a cartoon."