Kevin McCarthy slammed for saying ‘everyone across this country’ was responsible for attack on Capitol Hill

House of Commons Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has been criticized for saying in an interview broadcast on Sunday that he believes “everyone in this country has a responsibility” in the deadly riot on Capitol Hill on January 6.

in the Complete press interview including a transcript Newsweek got it, host Greta Van Susteren asked the California congressman who he said was responsible for the riot, noting that while he had pointed the finger at former President Donald Trump in the first place, he had subsequently seemed to back down. McCarthy said he didn’t change that position. Later in his response, he said Trump should have responded sooner and posted a video calling for calm earlier.

“I thought the president had some responsibility for the response. If you listen to what the president said at the rally, he said, ‘Demonstrate peacefully.’ And then I had a question later for to know if he had instigated them. I also think that everyone across the country has a responsibility, “he told Van Susteren.

McCarthy then noted the division in the country and the protests that followed Trump’s inauguration four years earlier. “What do we write on our social media? What do we say to each other? How do we disagree and still not be pleasant even when it comes to opinion?” he said.

McCarthy also raised questions about the response to the riot, saying the FBI was aware the invasion was planned. He asked who else knew and what was known, noting any unanswered questions. “When we had a meeting the day before they said they were up to anything. I think that’s what we need to get to the bottom of, and when you start talking about who has responsibilities, I think that there is going to be a problem, a lot more questions, a lot more answers than we are going to have in the future, “he said in the interview.

In the past, McCarthy has made similar calls for less political division. On January 8, he issued a statement denouncing the riots on Capitol Hill two days earlier, calling for “a drop[ing] temperature and unit[ing] the country to resolve America’s challenges, “also arguing that Trump’s impeachment would further divide.” We all have a responsibility here too, what was our rhetoric, the different language people used, what you said on social media. We have increased these temperatures so much. During the last inaugural, we started by “resisting”. We have members of Congress who say we should put ourselves in front of others. We have to lower the temperature. We have to understand that we are all Americans, and we have to start respecting differences of opinion, ”he said in a video posted to his Facebook page on January 16.

Ahead of the Complete press interview broadcast, McCarthy defended himself on Twitter on Saturday afternoon, writing: “From the minute the Capitol was attacked, I called on the rioters to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and repeated to many times it was incumbent on anyone in America. to help lower the temperature of our political discourse. “

From the minute the Capitol was attacked, I demanded that the rioters be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and repeated over and over again that it is the responsibility of every person in America to help lower the temperature. of our political discourse. pic.twitter.com/8tLz1t5ABm

– Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) 23 January 2021

A spokesperson for McCarthy responded in an email to Newsweek On Saturday, the lawmaker’s part of the interview was misinterpreted: “I understand some might want to pass McCarthy’s comments off as spreading rioters’ guilt to everyone, but that’s just plain wrong. He argued Since the bombings we all have a responsibility to lower the political temperature across the spectrum that has been building for years and unite as Americans – this is not the first example of political violence. “

But a number of people have already responded negatively to McCarthy’s response to “everyone across this country,” many sharing an early HuffPost article that reported on his response. Some saw it as an abdication of who was really responsible for the riot and blamed it squarely on the former president and some Republicans. Others including Oz actor Kirk Acevedo and Will and Grace star Debra Messing, directed the blame on McCarthy. “You declined to assert Biden as the winner / president-elect. You remained silent during calls for a coup,” Messing wrote.

Hey @GOPLeader

I DIDN’T DO A GODDAMN THING!

I was at home watching a group of Trump supporters on my television carry out an insurgency and storm the capital.

A LIE ABOUT A STOLEN ELECTION THAT HELPED 2 PERPETUATE

YOU ARE THE TRAITOR

NO JUSTICE
NO UNIT#KidVicioushttps://t.co/keB8zCqKeg

– Kirk Acevedo🇺🇸 (@kirkacevedo) 23 January 2021

.@GOPLeader You can’t GASLIGHT America. It’s about YOU, all @GOP Direction. You all supported, amplified Trump’s lies that the election was not won easily and fairly. You declined to assert Biden as the winner / president-elect. You have remained silent during the calls for a coup. https://t.co/ciD9PbeTRj

– Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) 23 January 2021

Republicans:
“We stand for the traditional American virtues of personal responsibility and accountability. Did I also mention not excusing bad behavior? “

“And Donald Trump?
Hey man, who says who’s responsible for what? And we have to move on! »Https://t.co/aRF6rCc08t

– Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) 23 January 2021

A few politicians also tweeted about McCarthy’s response. Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern called on him to ‘own this’ and quoted House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney:’ The President called this crowd, gathered the crowd and lit the flame of that attack. All that followed was his doing. ” California Congressman Ted Lieu also quoted Cheney and blamed Trump for the riot.

It’s like Trump is saying “good people on both sides” at a hate rally.

You own this, @GOPLeader. As the @HouseGOP The President said, “The President called this crowd together, gathered the crowd and lit the flame of this attack. All that followed was his work. »Https://t.co/2E3xwDdir8

– Representative Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) 23 January 2021

Dear @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy: You are not the one who, in the words of Liz Cheney, “called this crowd, gathered the crowd and lit the flame of this attack”. Stop trying to take credit for the insurgency.

Only one person could have unleashed this crowd: the former president. https://t.co/0tg1JF7YAP

– Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) 23 January 2021