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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Won’t Cooperate With January 6 Panel
House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he will not cooperate with the House panel probing the January 6 riots. He said that he already made public what he wanted to say and that there’s nothing to add.
RELATED: Biden Slams Trump, Accuses Him of Inciting January 6 Capitol Riot
Rep. Kevin McCarthy Said The House Panel Is Not Conducting a Legitimate Investigation
In a statement, the House GOP leader went right off the bat against the House select panel. He said that the panel created by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is not conducting a legitimate investigation.
“Pelosi took the unprecedented action of rejecting the Republican members I named to serve on the committee. It is not serving any legislative purpose,” McCarthy explained.
“The committee’s only objective is to attempt to damage its political opponents,” he added. The panel acted “like the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee one day and the DOJ the next.”
In addition, McCarthy said that his statements and private conversations are already out in the open. He already aired his side in the public domain. As such, McCarthy said he has “nothing else to add.”
January 6 Select Committee Requested Kevin McCarthy To Voluntarily Information
The House panel sent McCarthy a letter earlier in the day. The committee asked the California representative to voluntarily provide information. “Voluntary” means that the panel won’t force it and won’t compel him if he doesn’t want to at the time.
In the letter, panel chairman Bennie Thompson wrote that he believes McCarthy possesses relevant information about that day. As a result, McCarthy can help shed light on the circumstances that led to the events of that day.
In addition, Thompson also requested information from McCarthy about events in the days before and after January 6th.
“You have acknowledged speaking directly with the former President while the violence was underway on January 6th,” Thompson wrote. He added that the panel would like details on his conversations with former President Donald Trump and others.
Third GOP Members Asked To Appear Before the House Select Panel
Rep. Kevin McCarthy is the third member of Congress asked by the committee to share what they know. Previously, the panel also called up Representatives Jim Jordan and Scott Perry (PA) to give their testimonies.
However, both congressmen rejected the invitation. Meanwhile, the panel did not rule compelling the two in the future for their information.
As for McCarthy, Thompson acknowledged that the House Minority leader made public statements about the matter earlier last year. His letter includes several of McCarthy’s comments.
This included interviews where he discussed his conversation with Trump during the fateful day. “As is readily apparent, all of this information bears directly on President Trump's state of mind during the January 6th attack as the violence was underway,” the letter stated.
Watch the MSNBC video reporting that the January 6 Committee requests information from Rep. Kevin McCarthy:
What do you think of the House panel’s repeated attempts to make Republican officials testify about January 6? Also, do you think that McCarthy’s input will actually help the committee achieve its objective of blaming the GOP?
Tell us what you think. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.