'Gigantic idiot' Tom Cotton faces backlash for attack on the American Rescue Act
Tom Cotton (CBS News)

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Monday attacked the American Rescue Plan that passed the Senate over the weekend -- but he quickly faced backlash.

Specifically, Cotton attacked the bill for sending $1,400 relief checks to prisoners, despite the fact that the CARES Act that passed with Republican support in 2020 also sent prisoners checks.

However, Cotton insisted this was different because the CARES Act sent checks to prisoners at the orders of a judge who noted that the act placed no specific restrictions on whether prisoners could receive checks.

This time around, Republicans put forth an amendment to the American Rescue Plan that would have barred direct payments to prison inmates. But it was rejected in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

In the end, Cotton's claim amounts to charging that Republicans only sent checks to prisoners by accident, whereas Democrats did so deliberately as part of a broader plot to help criminals.

However, many of Cotton's Twitter followers weren't buying his explanation and promptly chided him.

Check out some reactions below.