Rep. Paul Gosar's siblings urge ADA, dental groups not to back Gosar after Capitol insurrection

Some of Rep. Paul Gosar's siblings are urging the public to contact dental associations that have donated to his campaign and register concerns about the representative, reports The Arizona Republic.

On Feb. 16, three of Mr. Gosar's nine siblings appeared in a video for a Democratically aligned group, saying Mr. Gosar, R-Ariz., is an extremist who helped incite the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The Gosar siblings unsuccessfully urged Arizona voters to reject their brother in the 2018 and 2020 elections. Now, they're turning to organizations that have donated to his campaign.

American Dental Association members have been top donors during Mr. Gosar's career, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. At least four dental-related organizations have donated to his campaign: the ADA PAC, the American Association of Orthodontists PAC, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry PAC, and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons PAC.

A spokesperson for the American Association of Orthodontists sent the Republic "a message on PAC activity" from Chris Roberts, DDS, the association's president, that was sent to members after the Jan. 6 riot.

Dr. Roberts' statement doesn't reference Mr. Gosar, but it denounces the "actions of the violent mob." The PAC has advocated on behalf of members to influence business tax reform, the elimination of the medical device tax and health insurance policies, according to his message.

"Given the recent events, we are asking our PAC to examine our giving guidelines to ensure our funding is aligned with our legislative agenda and is in keeping with the democratic process," Dr. Roberts said. "Please be assured that your PAC contributions are only spent after careful forethought. Now is not the time to disengage from the political system."

The ADA, AAPD and AAOMS didn't immediately respond to Becker's requests for comment. Mr. Gosar's chief of staff also did not immediately respond to the Republic's request for comment.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.