Critics went after Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) over missing a vote in the House on whether to establish a Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. The bill passed without Crenshaw’s vote.

Crenshaw had a good reason for his absence. He flew to California to attend the funeral of a friend, an active duty SEAL, he explained to the haters. Laura Loomer, a self-described investigative journalist and political activist, blasted Crenshaw for missing the vote, claiming that attending a funeral isn’t a good enough reason to miss a vote. Loomer, a former Congressional candidate in Florida with a stated intention to run again, described Crenshaw as a RINO – Republican in Name Only. Crenshaw responded.

After missing votes for a handful of items this week, Crenshaw’s opponents began speculating his whereabouts on social media. Right-wing social media activist Laura Loomer labeled the congressman a “RINO,” short for “Republican in name only.” “Dan is not showing up for work on purpose,” she wrote.

“I missed some votes this week on account of a funeral in San Diego for my friend and fellow SEAL. Being with my brothers was simply more important,” a statement provided by a spokesperson for Crenshaw read.

Yes Laura, it was on purpose. I flew to San a Diego for a funeral for a friend and active duty SEAL.

Kindly delete your toxic and obsessive trolling, if you don’t mind. https://t.co/2KqvKkDHoS

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 11, 2023

The CEO of a Trump-aligned political strategy firm jumped into the fray, too.

I missed some votes this week on account of a funeral in San Diego for my friend and fellow SEAL. Being with my brothers was simply more important.

Thankful that my obsessive trolls on twitter noticed my brief absence. https://t.co/ubffmS1KRd

— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 11, 2023

Crenshaw expressed his appreciation for “obsessive trolls” noticing his absence. Heh.

I have to say I don’t understand what all the kerfuffle is about. Crenshaw served our country admirably as a Navy SEAL. Why would it be so hard to understand that the funeral of a friend and active duty SEAL took Crenshaw away from his job for one day? The bill passed without his vote. No harm was done. Sometimes seeking publicity just for publicity’s sake proves to be an exercise in futility. Does Loomer, who says she will run for office again, think that bashing a veteran for attending the funeral of a fellow SEAL is something that voters in Florida will respond to favorably when she campaigns again? She said that lawmakers “don’t have the luxury of skipping work for sick days, funerals, or days off.” Hmm.

Though Crenshaw’s office has not confirmed the funeral details, it is reported that the funeral was for Cmdr. Robert Ramirez III. His death has been described as a suicide.

The only funeral at the federal military cemetery in San Diego on Tuesday, January 10, the day of the missed votes, was that of Cmdr. Robert Ramirez III.

Ramirez, who was known as Bobby to friends and family, was buried at Miramar National Cemetery. His hearse was escorted to the graveyard by the Patriot Guard Riders, a group of bikers who attend the funerals of fallen servicemen and women.

Cmdr. Ramirez had only taken command of the elite SEAL Team 1 in November, having arrived at the unit in June.

He joined the military in 1996 and was commissioned in 2008.

He has three Combat Action Ribbons, including for service in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

His other decorations include five Bronze Star Medals, two with the Combat ‘V’ device denoting valor and acts of heroism.

Miguel Riggs, a childhood friend and former basketball teammate, described Ramirez as a ‘very bright man’.

Military colleagues remembered him as a ‘great hero’ and ‘brother and friend’.

Capt. David Abernathy, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, which manages all San Diego-based SEAL teams, said: ‘Bobby was an outstanding leader, devoted husband and father, and a good friend to us all.

‘This is a devastating loss to our community and all who knew him. We will remain in support of Bobby’s family, friends and teammates during this extremely difficult time.’

The San Diego sheriff opened an investigation into the death but ruled out foul play.

It’s a tragic story. Good for Crenshaw for showing up for his friend and the family.

Crenshaw was back in Washington to vote for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. That bill provides legal protections for an infant born alive after an attempted abortion. That bill passed in the House with a 220-210 vote. It recognizes a newly-born child as a “legal person for all purposes under the laws of the United States.” Doctors will be required to give medical care to the infant as a “reasonably diligent and conscientious health care practitioner would render to any other child born alive.” Only two Democrats voted with Republicans to pass the bill.

“Tonight we voted on the Born Alive Act. It is utterly non-controversial to every normal person, but a hard NO from nearly every Democrat in Congress. That’s crazy,” Crenshaw said on Twitter Wednesday afternoon.

He added: “The Democrats are far too extreme on this issue and NOT in line with the American people. At all.”

The bill won’t go anywhere once it leaves the House, though. The Democrat-controlled Senate and pro-abortion Joe Biden won’t sign on to it.

Crenshaw is often in the news and he’s good at getting publicity for his work in Congress. Sometimes his words backfire, as they did recently when he called fellow Republicans “terrorists” during the heated race for Speaker of the House. Crenshaw apologized. He said on CNN that it was a “turn of phrase.”

“Look, things get heated, and things get said,” Crenshaw said. “I don’t want them to think I actually believe they’re terrorists. It’s clearly a turn of phrase that you use in what is an intransigent negotiation.”

Perhaps everyone should just take a breath and let people do their jobs. That includes allowing people the grace to miss a vote for the funeral of a friend, who is also a veteran. If the trolls were really concerned about the vote, they would acknowledge it passed without the need for Crenshaw’s vote.