Democratic Michigan Congressman Andy Levin became the target of a swarm of “The Office” related jokes after he was arrested outside the Supreme Court Tuesday.
Video posted by The Daily Signal’s Douglas Blair Tuesday shows Levin talking to a reporter in a detainment area on the grounds of the United States Supreme Court, wearing a green bandana on his head. Levin was one of 17 members of Congress who were arrested by Capitol Police during a planned “civil disobedience” in opposition to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Levin told the press that the Senate must abolish the filibuster and ram through legislation protecting abortion.
As protesters wait to leave, @RepAndyLevin tells gathered press that the Senate must abolish the filibuster and force through abortion legislation. pic.twitter.com/053WT6yUki
— Douglas Blair (@DouglasKBlair) July 19, 2022
Conservatives on Twitter mocked Levin for his risky fashion choices, with many pointing out that Levin’s look matched the iconic “Prison Mike” look that Steve Carell did in an episode of the hit TV show “The Office.” In the episode, Carell’s character attempts to “scare straight” his paper company employees by inventing a character called Prison Mike, who wears a purple bandana and speaks in stereotypes about prison life.
“[I]s that prison mike?!” radio host and Daily Caller editor Vince Coglianese tweeted.
“SPOTTED: Prison Mike complaining about dementors and reduced access to killing unborn babies outside the Supreme Court,” wrote Madeline Huffman, communication director for Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde.
“He literally did Prison Mike,” conservative digital strategist Greg Price tweeted in reply to Blair’s video, including a picture of Prison Mike.
He literally did Prison Mike pic.twitter.com/KPaN83H3e6
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 19, 2022
Even sympathetic users said that Levin’s look undercut his point. “I love Andy Levin with so much of my heart but my man is looking like Prison Mike here 😂😂,” a Left-wing user joked.
“Andy is undercutting his 100% correct message by looking absolutely ridiculous in that bandana,” added another Left-wing user.
Levin, meanwhile, used his arrest to garner attention from his followers on Twitter. He posted a video to his personal account that showed him and fellow Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) being arrested by Capitol Police. In the video, Levin and Tlaib are being led away by an officer while Tlaib leads chants “My body! My choice!”
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect abortion rights—even if it means getting arrested,” Levin wrote. “I joined my Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues in a civil disobedience action outside the Supreme Court. We won’t go back!” Levin tagged Tlaib and a protest group called CPD Action in his tweet.
Levin followed the tweet from his personal account with another from his official Congressional account. “I’m always down to stir up #GoodTrouble and fight for our rights,” he wrote. “We cannot give in to this extremist, right-wing Court. I’m angry and ready for ACTION! ✊🏻”
Levin and Tlaib were among the 17 House Democrats arrested outside the Supreme Court Tuesday. The others were: Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Carolyn Maloney of New York, Cori Bush of Missouri, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, Nydia Velazquez of New York, Barbara Lee of California, Jackie Speier of California, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, Sara Jacobs of California, Alma Adams of North Carolina, Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, Veronica Escobar of Texas, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois.