AOC calls out Josh Hawley for fundraising off of his January 6 fist-pump after video showed him fleeing the pro-Trump mob

© Chip Somodevilla/David Dee Delgado/Getty Images Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been a fierce critic of Sen. Josh Hawley over his actions on January 6, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

• AOC ripped into Josh Hawley for fundraising off of his infamous fist-pump on January 6.
• Her criticism came in response to footage showing Hawley fleeing the pro-Trump mob just hours later.
• AOC has called on Hawley to resign over his actions on January 6, 2021.

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Sen. Josh Hawley for fundraising off of an image of him raising his fist in solidarity with January 6 protesters, after the House committee investigating the insurrection showed video of the Missouri Republican fleeing the pro-Trump mob. 

"Remember: Even after running for his life, Sen. Hawley chose to fundraise off his encouraging and fist-pumping the violent mob, and even sold merchandise of himself doing so from then through *this year* — even after Politico, who later acquired the image, sent a cease and desist," Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet.

The New York Democrat has not shied away from criticizing Hawley over January 6 and his full-throated endorsement of former President Donald Trump's effort to overturn the election, and has called on the Republican senator to resign.

—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 22, 2022

Back in February, a little more than a year after the fatal riot at the US Capitol, Hawley's campaign began selling coffee mugs that featured the image of him fist-pumping for $20. Hawley's campaign described the mug as " the perfect way to enjoy Coffee, Tea, or Liberal Tears," per Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times.

Politico sent Hawley a cease and desist letter demanding he stop using the image, but the mug remained on his website, the Guardian reported in March. The picture was taken by a photographer for E&E News, which was acquired by Politico in December 2020. 

Video: Hawley gestured towards protesters, then later fled Capitol on January 6 (NBC News)

Hawley gestured towards protesters, then later fled Capitol on January 6

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On Friday, Hawley tweeted a link to purchase the mug. The tweet featured a kissy face emoji. 

—Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 22, 2022

Hawley, who voted against certifying the election results, has maintained that he was not encouraging the rioters with his fist-pump. 

"It is not a pro-riot mug," Hawley told HuffPost in February. "This was not me encouraging rioters."

The fist-pump, which has been widely criticized, came up again on Thursday during a hearing held by the House committee investigating January 6. 

But a US Capitol police officer who was protecting the building that day said that Hawley's actions "riled up the crowd," according to Rep. Elaine Luria, a Democratic member of the January 6 committee.

Luria, who showed video of Hawley fleeing the pro-Trump rioters during Thursday's hearing, added that the officer said the Republican lawmaker's gesture "bothered her greatly because he was doing it in a safe space, protected by officers and the barriers"

"Later that day, Sen. Hawley fled after those protesters he helped to rile up stormed the Capitol," Luria went on to say.