Josh Hawley criticized from both sides after complaining about being ‘muzzled’ in front-page column

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Senator Josh Hawley is being widely criticised from people across the political spectrum after writing a column in The New York Post entitled "It's time to stop the muzzling of America". 

Mr Hawley of Missouri was one of the most prolific Republicans objecting to certifying the results of the election.

Mr Hawley wrote that "social credit scores" are emerging in the US. "They're the latest corporate import from Communist China, where government and big business monitor every citizen’s social views and statements," he wrote.

Raging against "cancel culture," Mr Hawley said that "corporate monopolies and the left" are teaming up "to shut down speech they don’t like and force their political agenda on America".

In the piece published on the front page, Mr Hawley complained about being silenced and companies demanding that citizens hold certain views. He lamented the cancellation of his book after the storming of the Capitol, despite quickly finding another publisher.

"The alliance of leftists and woke capitalists hopes to regulate the innermost thoughts of every American, from school age to retirement," Mr Hawley wrote.

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Time columnist David French said: "Never forget his clenched fist salute to the mob that would soon sack the Capitol."

New York University journalism professor Elizabeth Spiers said: “For somebody who claims he's been consistently muzzled, Hawley is somehow in my face in major media outlets all the time.”

LA Times columnist Jonah Goldberg said: "I’d be embarrassed for him, except he knows exactly what he’s doing."

Former federal prosecutor and Politico columnist Renato Mariotti noted the irony in complaining about not being heard while being published in a major news outlet.

New York congressman Ritchie Torres called Mr Hawley a "shameless seditionist".

Sarah Longwell, a writer at the moderate conservative outlet The Bulwark,  said that "one of the more degrading effects of Trump on our politics is that he demonstrated how to entirely disgrace yourself, then survive by doubling down and claiming victim status".

Former Republican congressman and presidential candidate Joe Walsh called Mr Hawley "One of the leaders of the 'always a victim, always whining' Republican Party".