In his quest to get 218 votes and be elected Speaker of the House, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy warned the 1/6 Committee that he is planning on investigating them.
In a letter sent to the committee’s chairman, Mr. McCarthy instructed the panel to preserve its records — an action already required under House rules — including any recorded transcripts of its more than 1,000 interviews. The missive was the first official indication that newly empowered House Republicans plan not only to end the inquiry at the start of the new Congress, but also to attempt to dismantle and discredit its findings — the latest piece of a broader effort the party has undertaken over the past two years to deny, downplay or shift blame for the deadly attack by a pro-Trump mob.
McCarthy’s letter was a shameless pander to the far-right. He is trying everything imaginable to get enough votes to be elected speaker. The Republicans who oppose him are unlikely to be moved by a promise to investigate the 1/6 Committee.
Kevin McCarthy refused to cooperate with the investigation. He is the reason why there were no Republicans beyond Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger taking part in the investigation. McCarthy refused to fill his seats on the committee after Speaker Pelosi would not allow him to put coup conspirators on the panel.
McCarthy is on the verge of watching his career end if he fails to be elected speaker so he is making all kinds of promises to get 218 votes.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
