Rep. Ted Lieu and his fellow California Democratic leaders posed with bottles of Bud Light to mock conservatives boycotting the company, and the internet roasted them for it.
Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch faced a firestorm of controversy after partnering with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. The controversy began when the company celebrated Mulvaney's "365 Days of Girlhood," by sending Mulvaney custom-made cans featuring the influencer's face. Mulvaney said the cans were her "most prized possession" on Instagram with a post featuring "#budlightpartner." A video then featured Mulvaney in a bathtub drinking a Bud Light beer as part of the campaign.
The controversy has sparked backlash for the beer company with many places in the Midwest and South reportedly boycotting the beer.
Lieu posted a photo on Twitter of himself and fellow California Democratic Reps. Mark Takano, Judy Chu, and Adam Schiff drinking bottles of Bud Light, with all of their beer bottles' logos directly facing the camera.
Commentators across the Twitter platform slammed them, suggesting it was an inauthentic publicity stunt.
"Telling me you’ve never drank @budlight without saying you never drank @budlight," former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker tweeted.
Five Times August frontman Brad Skistimas added some word-bubbles to the image, showing the representatives having an awkward conversation.
Filmmaker and former Superman actor Dean Cain tweeted that the gathering appeared to be the "Worst party ever."
"None of these people hold a beer like they've ever held a beer before," conservative fadio host and Townhall columnist Derek Hunter wrote.
GOP staffer Jake Schneider appeared to sarcastically tweet, "Looks completely natural and not staged."
"Look guys, I drink beer, look how I hold the bottle like any normal guy would hold a beer. This is me being like a normal beer holding guy," podcaster Elijah Schaffer wrote.
Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross joked, "How you do fellow beer drinkers[?]"
However, a few commentators joked that this photo with Democratic Party leaders was yet another public relations disaster for the company.
The Callahan Show host Gerry Callahan wrote, "This photo is more damaging to the brand than Dylan Mulvaney in the bathtub."
"Barf," Rep. John Block, R-N.M., tweeted. "[N]ailing the final nail in the coffin for @budlight trash beer."
A wide variety of commentators across Twitter slammed the gathering in general as an indictment of the modern Democratic Party.
Washington Examiner chief political correspondent Byron York dubbed the quartet of liberal politicians "Dylan Mulvaney Democrats."
Director and producer Robby Starbuck wrote, "You guys drinking on the job helps us all understand your behavior a bit more."
RedState columnist Buzz Patterson wrote, "Ted Lieu and Adam Schiff pimping Bud Light is the cringiest thing I’ve seen in months! What a bunch of dweebs."
