Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina has introduced a resolution that would see a bust of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky placed permanently at the U.S. Capitol.
The resolution would direct the U.S. Fine Arts Board to commission a bust of the Ukrainian leader “for display in the House of Representatives wing of the United States Capitol.”
“Resolved, That the House of Representatives directs the Fine Arts Board to obtain a bust of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for display in a suitable, permanent location in the House of Representatives wing of the United States Capitol,” Wilson’s resolution states.
Zelensky records a video outside his office after a Russian bombing campaign
The resolution does not have any cosponsors and has been widely criticized by Republican lawmakers and conservatives online who do not believe that the U.S. should be funding the Ukrainian war effort at taxpayer expense.
Rep. Andy Biggs, one of the America First Republican lawmakers who held off on voting for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican derided by some for his decision to repeatedly wear a Ukraine flag lapel pin, slammed the resolution in a tweet on Wednesday.
“There is now a House resolution that seeks to put a display of Zelenskyy’s head in the US Capitol,” Biggs wrote. “Was the $100+ billion to Ukraine not enough?”
There is now a House resolution that seeks to put a display of Zelenskyy's head in the US Capitol.
Was the $100+ billion to Ukraine not enough?
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) January 11, 2023
Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Wednesday night criticized the move, calling Zelensky “dictatorial.”
“[Ukraine is] not even a democratic country. [Zelensky] banned opposition parties. He’s trying to ban an entire Christian denomination,” Carlson said.
“The person leading this charge, we’re sad to say, is a really nice guy who’s pretty conservative actually, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, a Republican member, he’s just sponsored legislation to display a bust of a foreign leader, Zelensky, in the Capitol building,” Carlson continued.
Are You F*cking Kidding Me?!
New House Resolution to display a bust of Zelensky in the Capitol.
Tucker: "The legislation [@RepJoeWilson] is putting forward would ensure that Zelensky's bust is on display 'in a suitable permanent location in the House of Representatives.'" pic.twitter.com/PDqD2MyYOs
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) January 12, 2023
“The legislation he’s putting forth would ensure that Zelensky’s bust is on display in a quote ‘suitable, permanent location in the House of Representatives’ wing so we can worship him daily. This is crazy. Let’s hope we pull back.”
Support for Ukraine from the United States continues, though a rift is beginning to form between conservatives and their liberal counterparts.
