House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy Says McConnell Right To Call Jan. 6 ‘Violent Insurrection’

Topline

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Wednesday he agrees with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) description of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as a “violent insurrection,” as former President Donald Trump slammed McConnell’s comments as not in line with the “vast majority” of Republicans.

Key Facts

McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol he believes “no one would disagree” with McConnell’s assessment of January 6.

McConnell on Tuesday blasted the Republican National Committee’s assertion that the January 6 attack was “legitimate political discourse” in a resolution censuring Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) for serving on the January 6 committee.

Former President Donald Trump released a statement Wednesday slamming McConnell over the comments, saying he “does not speak for the Republican Party, and does not represent the views of the vast majority of its voters.”

Trump has repeatedly referred to the January 6 attack as simply a “protest,” insisting the “insurrection” actually took place on Election Day 2020 in line with his disproven claims of widespread fraud in the presidential election.

Key Background

Trump has repeatedly taken shots at McConnell for saying the 2020 election was conducted fairly and refuting Trump’s unfounded claims that a conspiracy robbed him of victory. McCarthy has also publicly acknowledged the election was legitimate, but he’s generally been less vocal than his Senate counterpart on the issue recently. McCarthy’s been one of the loudest critics of the House committee investigating January 6, saying last month he does not plan to comply with a request to speak with committee investigators. McConnell, on the other hand, has largely avoided criticizing the panel’s investigation.

Surprising Fact

McCarthy claims he was the first person to get Trump on the phone when the riot was taking place on January 6, 2021. The call reportedly got heated, with the two screaming at each other as McCarthy demanded the then-president condemn the rioters. McCarthy also spoke to Trump on January 11, 2021, and claimed Trump took “some responsibility” for the attack during the call.

Tangent

Trump has derisively called McConnell the “broken old crow.” McConnell laughed off the moniker on Tuesday, calling Beam Suntory-made “Old Crow” his “favorite bourbon.”

Further Reading

McConnell Blasts RNC Over Censure Of Cheney And Kinzinger (Forbes)

Everything we know about Kevin McCarthy’s conversations with Trump concerning the Jan. 6 attacks (Washington Post)

McConnell laughs off Trump’s ‘Old Crow’ nickname: ‘It’s my favorite bourbon’ (The Hill)