Topline
Two outspoken Republican Trump critics had harsh words Sunday for the former president as he makes his second bid for the White House, with Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson saying the January 6 riot “disqualifies” Trump from running again while outgoing Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) said it’s imperative Trump face criminal charges.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) said he believes Trump should be held accountable for Jan. 6.
Key Facts
“If a president can incite an insurrection and not be held accountable, then really there’s no limit to what a president can do or can’t do,” Kinzinger told CNN’s Dana Bash, adding if Trump was not charged by the Department of Justice, “then I frankly fear for the future of this country.”
Kinzinger—one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump following the January 6 attack—was one of two Republicans on the House Committee that recommended Trump face at least four criminal charges last month, including obstructing an official proceeding, defrauding the U.S., making false statements and assisting or aiding an insurrection.
Though the committee’s referral is symbolic and does not require the Justice Department to act on its recommendations, Kinzinger said he believes the department “will do the right thing.”
Hutchinson echoed Kinzinger’s statements, telling ABC he thinks “January 6 really disqualifies” Trump from winning the GOP’s presidential nomination while adding he would work to ensure “there is [an] alternative and that Donald Trump is not the nominee of the party.”
Hutchinson—who previously said he has “very seriously” considered running for president—said “no decision has been made” on a presidential campaign for 2024, while Kinzinger noted he still has no intentions to seek reelection.
Chief Critic
Trump has continued to oppose the actions of the January 6 panel, posting on his Truth Social platform after its report was released: “The highly partisan Unselect Committee Report purposely fails to mention the failure of Pelosi to heed my recommendation for troops to be used in D.C., show the ‘Peacefully and Patrioticly’ words I used, or study the reason for the protest, Election Fraud. WITCH HUNT!”
Key Background
Kinzinger, a six-term congressman who recently announced he would not seek reelection in 2024 because the U.S. is becoming a “poisoned country” due to lies and “dehumanizing” language from political leaders, has become well-known for his opposition to Trump in recent years. After voting to impeach the former president following the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Kinzinger has regularly been attacked by Trump and faced censure from local Republican organizations in Illinois, according to the Rockford Register. After transitioning out of office, Kinzinger will focus on the political action committee “Country First,” which describes itself as “a home for reasonable people of goodwill, seeking common ground to make our country better for future generations.”
Further Reading
Anti-Trump Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger Won’t Seek Reelection (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/01/01/trumps-republican-critics-lash-out-on-morning-shows—with-calls-for-criminal-charges-and-alternative-candidates-for-2024/