April 1, 2022/Media, Press

April’s Fool: Cawthorn’s No Good, Very Bad Week

Republican creation” and North Carolina “embarrassment,” Madison Cawthorn has earned himself the top spot as April’s biggest fool. This week, a “political tsunami” ensued following his “bombshell cocaine and orgy” comments. Since then, Republicans have distanced themselves from the disgraced Congressman, Senator Tillis has endorsed his primary challenger, and he has lost trust with House Minority Leader McCarthy.

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Asheville Citizen Times: Cocaine and orgies? Madison Cawthorn, WNC GOP silent amid competing stories —  “A day after a top Republican leader said Rep. Madison Cawthorn admitted lying about a bombshell cocaine and orgy story, a Donald Trump aligned operative has said Cawthorn denied that recanting — creating competing GOP narratives that Cawthorn has declined to weigh in on. Party officials in Cawthorn’s Western North Carolina 11th District have also declined to help members of the split GOP decide whom to believe about the bizarre and potentially damning claim.”

News & Observer: Republicans have finally had enough of Madison Cawthorn — “U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn seems to have finally struck a nerve with his party. Since he first emerged on the political stage just a couple of years ago, the first-term congressman from western North Carolina has made a name for himself as a far-right extremist and overall embarrassment to the state. And, for the most part, Republicans have said and done very little to distance themselves from him. Until now…Cawthorn, while ostentatious, is hardly an anomaly. Republicans have been equally reluctant to take on other extremists in their party, including Marjorie Taylor Greene. They cower when former president Donald Trump and others spread election falsehoods that chip away at democracy. But now that the fantastical stories involve them, they’re suddenly speaking up? It’s hypocritical. And it’s about time.”

WRAL: Allies distance themselves from NC’s Madison Cawthorn, ex-supporters seek to oust him — But in recent months, a series of self-inflicted personal and political challenges—from international affairs to traffic stops—have caused some of his GOP allies to distance themselves from Cawthorn, now 26. The conflicts have also only further turned off longtime Republicans who had already disliked him. Some are now questioning whether he’ll win reelection. ‘There’s a big fat question mark over this primary and it wouldn’t be under normal circumstances,’ said Chris Cooper, a Western Carolina University political scientist. ‘We shouldn’t be having this conversation about a first-term incumbent member of Congress who can raise money with every tick of the clock.’”

USA Today: More trouble for GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn: North Carolina Republican senator endorses primary opponent — “Embattled North Carolina congressman Madison Cawthorn faced another problem Thursday: A Republican primary opponent won an endorsement from one of the state’s Republican U.S. senators. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Cawthorn ‘has fallen well short of the most basic standards Western North Carolina expects from their representatives,’ and he supports state legislator Chuck Edwards in the GOP primary scheduled for May 17. Tillis’ move came the same week that many Republicans – including House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy – criticized Cawthorn for claiming that lawmakers in Washington often use cocaine and hold orgies.”

Daily Beast: McCarthy Shreds Madison Cawthorn Over ‘Unacceptable’ Orgy Claims — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) appears to have had enough of Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) and his ‘orgy’ allegations. ‘There’s a lot of different things that can happen,’ McCarthy told Politico after a sit-down with the freshman legislator. ‘But I just told him he’s lost my trust. He’s going to have to earn it back. I mean, he’s got a lot of members very upset.’”

Politico: Cloud of notoriety builds over Cawthorn after sex-and-drugs claims — ”After riding out multiple waves of mini-controversies over past comments and behavior, he now seems doused by a political tsunami after alleging on a podcast that some of his colleagues attend orgies and use cocaine.”

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