Substitute while the actions of the article are loading
On the morning of January 6, the House committee held its second public hearing, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (California), a minority leader, on the other side of town, repeating an instruction he had repeatedly given to fellow Republicans: Ignore him.
Speaking to donors at the Georgetown Four Seasons, McCarthy instead recommended that Republicans talk about other issues that could help them regain a majority in both houses of Congress, according to people familiar with the meeting, such as rising inflation and record high gas prices – all under the supervision of Democrats.
While most ordinary members of the Republican House conference listened to his instructions, another influential Republican tuned in to each hearing. and he is getting angrier – to the point of screaming on television, according to a close adviser – at what he considers a lack of protection from his Capitol Hill allies.
Former President Donald Trump has said in private for months that McCarthy’s decision to withdraw pro-Trump Republicans from Jan. 6 election committee meetings was a mistake that became clearer as Trump watched hearings working to build the case. which he must be criminally charged with conspiracy to cancel the 2020 presidential election.
According to a close adviser who, like others, speaks on condition of anonymity to tell details of private conversations, Trump has made it clear to anyone who listens that “there is no one to protect me” on the podium before, during or after the hearings. The blame falls entirely on McCarthy’s shoulders, according to some Republican aides and advisers close to the former president.
On June 21, a House of Representatives committee investigating the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, outlined a scheme backed by President Trump to cancel the 2020 election (Video: Adriana Usero / The Washington Post)
The Ministry of Justice is expanding the investigation on January 6 with new summonses
Several Trump advisers said they were particularly disappointed that they had no idea about the committee’s discussions, plans and divisions so that they could better prepare for what lay ahead.
To exclude McCarthy’s bet A pro-Trump GOP prospect from the commission of inquiry could prove costly as he works to secure Trump’s support for his possible candidacy for speaker if the Republican Party regains a majority in the House. Although most conference attendees have allayed Trump’s anger, any insolent reaction on his part could inflame his GOP allies, who remained unobtrusive on whether to vote for McCarthy to be the supreme leader – a small but significant group that could quickly threaten his chances.
McCarthy acknowledged that his promotion was not possible without the support of Trump’s base. According to a person familiar with the discussions, he has turned to Stephen K. Bannon in recent months to stop him from imposing the idea of Trump as a speaker.
McCarthy’s allies say he had no choice but to withdraw Republicans from the House following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to ban MPs Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Jim Banks (R-India) from sitting. in committee because they could be called as witnesses by the committee. McCarthy also enlisted GOP representatives Troy E. Nels (Texas), Rodney Davis (Illinois) and Kelly Armstrong (ND) to participate, an election that Pelosi (D-California) approved.
Trump made it clear to the Allies that he did not approve of McCarthy as a speaker when they could, and he told Conservative talk show host Wayne Alin Route over the weekend that he only supported McCarthy’s re-election campaign.
“No, I supported him in his race. But I have not approved anyone as a speaker, “he said in an interview.
Asked on Tuesday about Trump’s dissatisfaction with the lack of Republicans in the panel, McCarthy admitted that he had talked to the former president the day before after the interview for the talk show. He sidestepped the issue and another about Trump’s attempt to cancel the election, saying the most important issue people think is rising prices.
“We watched what Nancy Pelosi did with this political committee. “One thing I know is that since Nancy was appointed to this political committee, gas has risen by $ 1.86,” he told a news conference on Tuesday. He added that Democrats are “focused on an issue that the public is not focused on.” The public is focusing on why inflation is so high, why the border is uncertain, crime is rising, everything costs more. “
McCarthy’s office did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the story.
McCarthy is no stranger to overcoming potential problems with the former president, most recently when leaked audio revealed that he intended to ask Trump to resign after Jan. 6. As Republicans waited with bated breath for Trump’s response, many were surprised to find that he enjoyed the fact that McCarthy never actually asked him to step down, which he saw as a source of lasting influence on the party.
Lawmakers are stepping up security on Jan. 6 as threats increase
But in recent weeks, Trump’s allies, including Bannon, have repeatedly told Trump that McCarthy’s decision not to nominate Republicans is a “strategic failure,” indicating that he may be weak in leading the Biden administration’s oversight hearings if be chosen to be a speaker, according to two people familiar with the conversations. That perception has remained with Trump, as has the recognition that there is little chance anyone else can replace McCarthy as supreme leader.
After it became clear that Pelosi would not move to admit Jordan and Banks to the committee, all five gave their blessing to McCarthy to refuse to join the committee. Shortly afterwards, Pelosi announced that he would appoint a representative, Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), To join him. eight other choices she made for the commission, which already included Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).
Their involvement, McCarthy told Georgetown donors, somewhat undermines the argument that the commission and its findings are “illegitimate,” given that they may argue for bipartisanship.
A person familiar with McCarthy’s argument said he told Trump that if he cooperated with the commission and appointed members, it would be more difficult to attack the commission as political and they would be responsible for more than the commission’s findings. McCarthy also argues that he cannot be seen as weak, leaving Pelosi to dictate his decisions. But Trump did not back down to get angry with him, regularly asking why no one was defending him on television, the man said.
Looking back, some of these members said they would prefer to participate, but did not blame McCarthy for his decision because he chose to stand up to Pelosi instead of obeying her request.
“I will not sit here and question leader McCarthy’s assessment of whether it should or should not. He handed down a sentence, “Nels said. “But boy, if I got on this panel, I could ask some very, very serious deep questions.
Jordan said they were not left without a choice, stressing that Pelosi would probably refuse other Republicans to replace him and Banks.
“Looking back is always great,” Jordan said. “It would be nice if we could question witnesses if we could see other documents, but that decision was made a year ago when Nancy Pelosi said for the first time in American history that she would not allow the minority leader to be put on the committee. which he has chosen. “
Representative Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) Did not say directly whether he wanted his colleagues to be in the group to defend Trump and him. On Tuesday, Arizona Secretary of State Russell “Rusty” Bowers, a Republican, testified that Biggs tried to get him to sign a letter confirming that he would support the desertification of voters who will vote for Biden, who won the state. in 2020.
“I do not think this is meant to be true. And as a person who has been in a lot of lawsuits, you will never get to the truth if you don’t cross-examine anyone, “he said.
Senator Ron Johnson is under fire for exposing fake voters at the hearing
The scenario might never have worked out if Senate Republicans approved the creation of an independent committee with five Republicans and five Democrats, who would equally share the power to summon a report by the end of last year. Only 35 Republicans in the House of Representatives supported the measure, some of whom still believe an independent commission would save a lot of headaches.
“Until he opposes this, we would have at least 100 more votes in the Chamber to support this bipartisan initiative. But they all escaped when Trump spoke out against it the night before, “said spokesman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Who voted to impeach Trump.
The lack of Republicans backing Trump on the panel has allowed committee members to investigate and present their findings without the distraction common in House of Representatives hearings, regardless of which party is in the majority.
“I think McCarthy’s decision not to recommend responsible people to the elected committee was another major disaster,” said Adam B. Schiff, D-California, a member of the committee on January 6, who saw his share of inciting hearings as top. Democrat in the House Intelligence Committee. “I think it was a strategic mistake of historical proportions. That was a good thing for the country, because we managed to work in a non-partisan way, without, you know, political disruption. “
Republicans privately argue that their participation would be limited in a similar way, as minority demands are often ignored in established committees, making their participation in the panel pointless.
“With a new majority, Congress will have a strong oversight obligation and all sorts of things that have happened in the last few years,” said spokesman Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Who …
Add Comment