Hours after calling for "violence in the streets," Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert stressed he did not encourage and advocate for violence. Gohmert's initial statement came as a response to a federal judge's dismissal of his lawsuit that sought to force Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election.
In an interview with Newsmax on Friday, Gohmert said the only option Americans had to reject the election results was to take to the streets and "be as violent as antifa and BLM [Black Lives Matter]."
"Bottom line is, the court is saying, 'We're not going to touch this, you have no remedy,'" Gohmert told the news outlet. "Basically, in effect, the ruling would be that you've got to go to the streets and be as violent as antifa and BLM."
However, the 67-year-old Republican issued a statement on Saturday clarifying that he supported peaceful protests as advocated by Martin Luther King Jr. He also said that the appropriate answer was courts and self-governing bodies resolving disputes as intended.
"I have not encouraged and unequivocally do not advocate for violence. I have long advocated for following the teaching and example of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. of peaceful protest," Gohmert said. "That does not keep me from recognizing what lies ahead when the institutions created by a self-governing people to peacefully resolve disputes hide from their responsibility. Violence is not the answer."
At a "Million MAGA March" in November near the White House, he urged Trump supporters to consider "revolution" like the Egyptian uprising seven years ago and the American colonies' revolt against England.
"They rose up through all over Egypt, and as a result of the people rising up in the greatest numbers in history, ever anywhere, they turned the country around .... If they can do that there, think of what we can do here," he told thousands of cheering supporters.
Gohmert's Lawsuit
In his lawsuit, Gohmert alleged the Electoral Count Act of 1887 was unconstitutional. He also sought to grant the Vice President the power to reject state-certified electors and replace them with a slate of electors. However, U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle dismissed the lawsuit stating that it lacked standing.
The dismissal of the lawsuit came ahead of a congressional meeting on Wednesday to certify the Electoral College results. President Donald Trump also encouraged his supporters to protest in Washington D.C. and urge the congressional leaders to top the certification of the Electoral College results.
