Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) says House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) dismissed his warning about the violence ahead of January 6.
Kinzinger tweeted on Monday, “A few days before Jan 6, our GOP members had a conference call. I told Kevin that his words and our party’s actions would lead to violence on January 6th. Kevin dismissively responded with ‘ok Adam, operator next question.’ And we got violence.”
A few days before Jan 6, our GOP members had a conference call. I told Kevin that his words and our party’s actions would lead to violence on January 6th. Kevin dismissively responded with “ok Adam, operator next question.” And we got violence.
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) May 10, 2021
During an appearance on “Face the Nation” Sunday, Kinzinger criticized Republicans who suggest it is time to “move on” from the insurrection, as IJR reported.
“It’s been four months, and we have so many people, including our leadership in the party, that has not admitted that this is what it is which was an insurrection led by the president of the United States,” Kinzinger said.
McCarthy seemingly changed his position on whether Trump was responsible for the insurrection at the Capitol.
He said on January 13, “The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action of President Trump.”
McCarthy later said during a press conference he did not believe Trump “provoked” the rioters.
During an appearance on Fox News last month, McCarthy claimed he was the first person to contact Trump when the riots were happening.
“He didn’t see it. When he ended the call [he] was telling me he would put something out to make sure to stop this. And that’s what he did, he put a video out later,” McCarthy explained.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told MSNBC last month she will “never forgive” Trump for what she believes is his role in the insurrection, as IJR previously reported.
“I will never forgive those people and the president who instigated the insurrection for the trauma that they caused to the workers in the Capitol,” she said.
Pelosi added, “Whether it was the young people who work in our offices, whether it was the custodial staff who make the Capitol run, whether it was the Capitol Police.”
