Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) says he not sending a “pro-riot” message with his merchandise.
Hawley is selling a mug with a photo of his fist-pump to supporters of former President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
The moment came before he attempted to challenge the results of the presidential election.
Promoting the mug, his campaign said in an email, “Liberals are so easily triggered, and this new mug is really whipping the left into a frenzy! Josh isn’t scared – he’s show-me strong!”
The campaign continued, “This Made in America mug is the perfect way to enjoy Coffee, Tea, or Liberal Tears!”
New: Josh Hawley is officially selling his 1/6 fist-pump as a mug pic.twitter.com/sNzCbaam1B
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) February 14, 2022
Hawley later explained to The Huffington Post the merchandise does not celebrate the riot.
“It is not a pro-riot mug,” Hawley told the outlet. “This was not me encouraging rioters.”
He continued, “At the time that we were out there, folks were gathered peacefully to protest, and they have a right to do that. They do not have a right to assault cops.”
Hawley argued the rioters have been “treated as if, if you were here, if you were in Washington, if you went to the Capitol, ‘You’re a thug. You’re a criminal.’ I disagree with that really strongly.”
During an interview with The Washington Post in May 2021, Hawley said he did not regret supporting protesters, as IJR previously reported.
“When I walked by that particular group of folks who were standing there peacefully behind police barricades, well off of the plaza, and I waved to them, gave them the thumbs up, pumped my fist to them, and thanked them for being there. They had every right to do that,” Hawley said.
Hawley was then asked if he regrets his actions.
“No because I don’t know which of those protesters, if any of them… participated in the criminal riot and I think it’s a slur on the thousands and thousands, tens of thousands of people who came to the Capitol that day to demonstrate peacefully and to lump them in with the criminal rioters,” he explained.