GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy says all Americans are culpable for Capitol riot, not just him
Category: News & Politics
Via: tessylo • 5 years ago • 11 commentsBy: Graig Graziosi, The Independent
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy says all Americans are culpable for Capitol riot, not just him
(Getty Images)
Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tried to deflect the blame for the US Capitol off of himself and onto the general populace as Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress.
“As a nation, I know we sit back and we’re appalled by what we’re seeing,” Mr McCarthy said. “But I want everybody to take a deep breath and understand: We all have some responsibility here.”
The Washington Post reported on Mr McCarthy's comments.
He made the comments to ABC News on 6 January while Trump supporters fought against US Capitol police officers to gain access to the Congress.
Mr McCarthy has been the subject of intense criticism in the wake of the deadly insurrection, which left five dead, as he was among the GOP members parroting Mr Trump's debunked claims that massive voter fraud had cost him the 2020 election.
None of the scores of court cases filed to challenge the election results were successful.
Mr McCarthy said Mr Trump's supporters should "not be silent about" the alleged election fraud on the day of the Capitol insurrection.
"We cannot allow this to happen before our very eyes," Mr McCarthy said on Fox News.
Mr McCarthy also signed his name to a failed lawsuit brought by the state of Texas challenging the election results in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Michigan.
The Republican Congressman also disagreed with the sentiment that Mr Trump was responsible for inciting the riot at the Capitol on 6 January.
“I don’t believe he provoked it, if you listen to what he said at the [Jan. 6] rally,” Mr McCarthy said.
He later repeated his assertion that everyone in the country - not just him and the other Republicans who championed Mr Trump's fraudulent claims that the election had been stolen - was responsible for the attack on the US Capitol.
“I thought the president had some responsibility when it came to the response,” Mr McCarthy said. “If you listen to what the president said at the rally, he said, ‘Demonstrate peacefully.’ And then I got a question later about whether did he incite them. I also think everybody across this country has some responsibility.”
Several House Democrats, including congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have called on Mr McCarthy to resign.
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I don't think I have ever seen Kevin McCarthy exhibit any , you know, actual intelligence.
I don't know about the rest of you but I was in Little Rock Arkansas the day it happened.
I have witnesses
The responsibility we ALL had was to denounce the conspiracy theorists and white supremacists that were central in this insurrection. Most of us on the left took that responsibility seriously and did so daily. That is where our responsibility as Americans ended, only those who empowered the conspiracy theorists, defended and deflected from the white supremacists and attacked the left for denouncing them should be held responsible for the attack on the capital. By adhering to and giving these piece of shit conspiracy theorists and white supremacists aid and comfort, making them feel welcome within their party, many Republicans are guilty of treason if not guilty of sedition.
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
Adhere: verb - stick fast to.
I think it's quite apparent that a large majority of the Republican party adhered to these conspiracy theorists and white supremacists. 72% of Republicans including Kevin McCarthy believed and continued to spread the lie that the election was supposedly "stolen". That was clearly a major factor used by these seditionists to justify their attack on the capital and attempted insurrection.
It's ironic, he says that everyone is responsible, except himself and trump.
Kev is a fucking moron.
I always tell Kevin, when in doubt, blame me.
There are a lot of things for which many - or all of us - bear some responsibility, however meager. Collectively, we endorse or tolerate all sorts of things and our permissiveness leads to greater problems. It is perfectly fine to hold individuals accountable for specific acts, but there is nothing wrong with the rest of us looking in the mirror now and then. It is arrogant, indeed, to assume there is nothing about you that needs improving.