"I am now 'wanting to punch a guy in a wheelchair' years old," comedian Christopher Titus posted on Twitter after reports started circulating that the 26-year-old North Carolina Republican was caught cleaning his gun in the hearing during a roundtable discussion on burn pit exposure.
Cawthorn worked on his pistol out of sight for several minutes, but it became plainly visible throughout the testimony of Jen Burch, a veteran who spent six years in the Air Force serving in Japan and Afghanistan.
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"Madison Cawthorn Cleans Gun During Veterans' Affairs Hearing how much more of this insanity are we expected to tolerate?" singer Stella Parton tweeted.
"I grew up in gun culture, and the thought of cleaning a weapon in front of anyone, let alone strangers, is unthinkable," writer Charlotte Clymer posted. "It's enormously disrespectful. Madison Cawthorn is a grown man who has spent a lifetime under the impression that his efforts are inherently extraordinary. Sad."
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A first responder who was in the meeting was apparently offended as well, saying that Cawthorn acted like a child.
In an announcement to Fox News, Cawthorn spokesperson Luke Ball stated, "What could possibly be more patriotic than guns and veterans?"
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"It was immature. He's a child. He lacks common sense. I think the congressman was overcompensating for something that he lacks and feeling inadequate among the heroes on that call," announced John Feal, a 9/11 first responder who was at the virtual meeting.
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Feal was one of at least two people at the Veterans' Affairs meeting who noticed what Cawthorn was doing. Both were infuriated. But the general public couldn't see it, because the two-hour virtual hearing was held over Zoom—which meant that those tuning in could only see the person speaking.
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Rosie Lopez Torres, the cofounder of Burn Pits 360, explained that she did not notice that Cawthorn was working on his gun, according to the Daily Beast. She only recalled that he appeared distracted at times. Though when she saw the picture of what he was doing, she was livid.
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"Oh wow," she said. "That is insane. Total disregard and disrespect to America's war fighters. He was so bored with the topic. Those that are sick and dying and the widows in his district should see how much he cares about the issue."
Though, some find that criticism particularly notable, given that Cawthorn has made a name for himself by constantly singing praises about the nation's military personnel.