Politico is respectfully asking Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) campaign to stop using a controversial image of him walking to the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The Hill noted the controversial photo was taken by E&E News photographer Francis Chung. E&E News is owned by Politico. On February 14, Hawley’s campaign announced it would be selling a mug with the photo printed on it.
New: Josh Hawley is officially selling his 1/6 fist-pump as a mug pic.twitter.com/sNzCbaam1B
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) February 14, 2022
“We do not authorize its use by the Hawley campaign for the purpose of political fundraising, which the campaign has been put on notice of by legal counsel,” a spokesperson for Politico told The Hill.”
The spokesperson added, “We are eagerly awaiting a response, but in the interim again respectfully ask that the campaign immediately cease and desist unauthorized use of the image.”
Spokesperson Kyle Plotkin told E&E News Hawley’s campaign had not received the letter, as The Hill reported.
“We haven’t received any correspondence from POLITICO or anyone else, but we are in full compliance with the law,” Plotkin said. “Perhaps POLITICO can show us the correspondence they sent to the many liberal groups who also used the photo.”
Many have interpreted the mug as a message of support for the accused January 6 rioters. Still, Hawley denied last month that he is sending a “pro-riot” message with the merchandise, as IJR previously reported.
“It is not a pro-riot mug,” Hawley said. “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.”
The senator 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.”