Rep. Ashley Hinson. (RI photo)

Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says political rhetoric has become too heated on both sides of the partisan divide, but she voted against the formal reprimand of a fellow Republican because House Democrats haven’t taken similar action against other Democrats.

Hinson voted against censuring Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar for posting an animated video online that depicted him attacking President Biden and killing a New York Congresswoman.

“It’s absolutely wrong to depict violence against another member of congress and the president and there’s no excuse or justification for that behavior,” Hinson says. “…Violent rhetoric is unacceptable.”

But Hinson says Democrats failed to censure a California Congresswoman last year who had called on protesters to get more confrontational. “Accountability for wrongdoing shouldn’t be determined by your party, but Speaker Pelosi has set that unequal standard,” Hinson says. “…I’m committed to making sure we lower the temperature in our nation’s political discourse and that’s the way I’m choosing to lead on this issue in Iowa’s first district.”

Randy Feenstra of Hull and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa — the other Republicans in Iowa’s U.S. House delegation — also voted against removing a fellow Republican from his committee assignments, but did not make public statements about their votes. Nor did Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne of West Des Moines, who voted to censure the GOP congressman for his social media postings.