“Conservative Cannot Equal Crazy, & Right Now It Does,” Says Former GOP Representative

Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have gotten the nation’s attention, and their “ridiculous and hyperbolic bullsh**” from Thursday evening has, in particular, caught the ear of a former GOP Representative from Virginia.

Denver Riggleman, who served as the Representative for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District from 2019 to January of 2021, had called out q-anon conspiracy theories and other forms of extremism before, and after Gaetz went viral for telling a crowd that there’s an obligation to use the Second Amendment, which, he emphasized, is for the purpose of rebelling against the U.S. government, Riggleman felt the need to speak up.

I’m tired of the bullshit.

cc: @mattgaetz @mtgreenee pic.twitter.com/3w6yaDSNrO

— Denver Riggleman (@RepRiggleman) May 28, 2021

Tagging Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, Riggleman released a minute and a half of video in which he calls out “politicians and influencers using conspiracy theories to radicalize my fellow citizens.” He says that people who do this need to be removed from the Republican Conference, and refers to the Capitol insurrection as the evidence of what happens when these conspiracies are allowed to spread.

“Conservative cannot equal crazy,” Riggleman says, “and right now it seems to with so many,” as he pleads, “Let’s stop weaponizing belief systems.”

Gaetz has responded, claiming that Riggleman was mischaracterizing his words (though there is video freely available for anyone to see) and directing him to “leave the Republican Party to those of us who win elections.”

Your own (Republican) voters removed YOU from the Republican Conference.

See Also

One Year After Leaving Office, RNC Is Still Covering Trump’s Six Figure Legal Bills

The only “conspiracy theory” is your mischaracterization of my remarks.

Maybe leave the Republican Party to those of us who win elections. https://t.co/2apK9yjd4v

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) May 28, 2021

Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene has followed up Thursday evening’s remarks with a Friday afternoon tweet calling for Americans to buy as many AR15s as they can.