Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Tim Burchett (R-TN) are calling for the city of Seattle to protect Jimothy, an internet-famous raccoon.
“We are requesting that your office ensure that Jimothy be enrolled in any and all relevant community carnivore monitoring initiatives,” the letter obtained by TMZ reads.
The raccoon, named Jimothy, went viral this month after videos of him in Seattle surfaced. Jimothy has an unusually short and rounded spine, most likely caused by a rare spinal condition. Since then, more people have reported sightings of the raccoon.
Kiana Hall, 33, posted the viral video. She told USA Today, “He just looked like a ‘Jimothy’ to me.”
“I don’t have any other explanation other than I looked at him and he looked like a ‘Jimothy,’” Hall said.
In the letter, addressed to Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, a self-described socialist, the representatives request Jimothy’s assured safety with platforms to report Jimothy sightings and to establish signage in areas the raccoon is known to frequent to protect him.
The letter recognizes that the representatives have differing political views from Wilson.
“We have, we are told, almost nothing in common on matters of policy,” the letter reads. “But there comes a moment in public life when principle transcends party. That moment happens to be now, on a matter concerning the viral raccoon we have all come to love known as Jimothy.”
Jimothy’s fame even reached the White House.
The White House posted a picture of Jimothy wearing a MAGA-like hat that reads, “Trump was right about everything,” on its X account on Thursday.
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“Jimothy spotted on the way to Washington D.C.,” the caption reads.
“We know we might be politically different, but at the end of the day Jimothy’s safety should be our number one concern,” the letter reads. “This is an opportunity to exemplify our shared American values by protecting a small, resourceful, and cute raccoon named Jimothy. He must be protected at all costs, and we hope that you would agree with us on that.”