The leader of a far-right militant group says Republican Rep. Paul Gosar told him the US was in a civil war: 'We just haven't started shooting yet.

<p><img src="https://static6.businessinsider.com/image/60143b666dfbe10018e00be7-1280/2020-11-06T041804Z_1720952769_RC2GXJ9GM5JE_RTRMADP_3_USA-ELECTION-PROTESTS.JPG" border="0" alt="U.S. congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ) speaks to supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gathering during a protest about the early results of the 2020 presidential election, in front of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC), in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., November 5, 2020." data-mce-source="REUTERS/Jim Urquhart" data-mce-caption="U.S. congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ) speaks to supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gathering during a protest about the early results of the 2020 presidential election, in front of the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC), in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., November 5, 2020."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Rep. Paul Gosar, an Arizona Republican, told a right-wing militant group that the US was in a civil war and predicted it would become violent, Jim Arroyo, the leader of an Arizona chapter of Oath Keepers, said in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=8Q4x-H5prE8">a Nov. 2020 video</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>"We asked [Gosar] flat-out, at that time, do you think we're heading into a civil war'" Arroyo said of his exchange with Gosar. "And his response to the group was just flat-out, 'We're in it, we just haven't started shooting yet.'"&nbsp;</p><p>Arroyo used Gosar's claim to back up his theory that the US was "in the begining phases of a full-scale, kinetic civil war" provoked by a "communist insurrection."&nbsp;</p><p>"What we are witesssing in the United States right now is a Communist takeover, it's an insurgency," he said in the video, titled "The Coming Civil War'" "You need to prepare to defend yourselves, your families, and your neighborhoods."&nbsp;</p><p>Far-right activist Ali Alexander, who organized the January 6 "Stop the Steal" rally that preceded the deadly Capitol siege, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/13/ali-alexander-capitol-biggs-gosar/">says he planned the event with help from Gosar</a> and two other GOP members of Congress, Reps. Mo Brooks and Andy Biggs. Gosar spoke at a rally in Pheonix that Alexander organized after the 2020 election to demand the results be overturned.&nbsp;</p><p>A spokesperson for Gosar didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.&nbsp;</p><p>Gosar's brother, Dave Gosar, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/us/republicans-trump-capitol-riot.html">told The New York Times</a> this week that the congressman is "twisted up so tight with the Oath Keepers it's not even funny."&nbsp;</p><p>Six of Rep. Gosar's nine siblings <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/09/22/paul-gosar-siblings-political-ad-arizona-david-brill-orig-vstop-klj.cnn">appeared in campaign ads</a> denouncing their brother as an extremist and should be removed from office during his 2018 campaign for Congress.&nbsp;</p><p>Democratic members of Congress have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aoc-ted-cruz-robin-hood-gamestop-criticism-2021-1">raised alarms</a> about some of their GOP colleagues who they say pose a threat to them in the weeks since the Capitol insurrection. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said last week that "a very considerable" number of Democratic lawmakers "still don't yet feel safe around other members of Congress."</p><p>"The enemy is within the House of Representatives, a threat that members are concerned about, in addition to what is happening outside," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said during a press briefing on Thursday. Pelosi said she was referring to members who've attempted to carry guns onto the House floor and those who've threatened violence against their colleagues.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aoc-ted-cruz-robin-hood-gamestop-criticism-2021-1" >'You almost had me murdered 3 weeks ago': AOC rejects Ted Cruz's support for her criticism of Robinhood</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/paul-gosar-told-oath-keepers-militia-us-in-civil-war-2021-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-most-expensive-liquid-thoroughbred-horse-semen-2020-3">Why thoroughbred horse semen is the world's most expensive liquid</a></p>
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