'People need to be held accountable': Newly released bombshell audio features McCarthy calling for bipartisan probe of Jan. 6
On Wednesday, CNN reported on new audio revealed of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) recorded just five days after the January 6 attack, demanding a bipartisan investigation into the affair.
"We cannot just sweep this under the rug," said McCarthy in the clip. "We need to know why it happened, who did it, and people need to be held accountable for it. And I'm committed to making sure that happens."
These private comments stand in stark contrast to how McCarthy has actually handled the congressional investigation into the attack.
While McCarthy initially blamed former President Donald Trump, he quickly walked those criticisms back and voted against impeaching the former president for his role in inciting the insurrection. He later opposed the establishment of a bipartisan independent commission to investigate, and boycotted when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) empaneled a select committee.\
This comes after reporting two months ago that McCarthy privately wanted Trump to resign over the attack — and then publicly denied it.
Similarly, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has backed off his initial criticisms of the former president for inflaming rioters, and has made clear he will support Trump if he is nominated for the presidency again.
Watch the report below:Watch: Michael Fanone 'went to hell and back to protect' lawmakers on Jan. 6 -- and now he wants answers
Former Metropolitan Office Michael Fanone is hoping for answers to questions he has about the role of government officials during the public hearings by the House Select Committee Investigating the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol.
In July of 2021, the Select Committee kicked off its first public hearing with testimony from Fanone, who fought back tears while blasting Republicans for attempting to minimize the attack.
"I feel like I went to hell and back to protect them and the people in this room, but too many are now telling me that hell doesn't exist or that hell actually wasn't that bad," he testified. "Being an officer, you know your life is at risk whenever you walk out the door, even if you don't expect otherwise law-abiding citizens to take up arms against you. But nothing — truly nothing — has prepared me to address those elected members of our government who continue to deny the events of that day, and in doing so, betray their oath of office. Those very members whose lives, offices, staff members I was fighting so desperately to defend."On Thursday, 317 days after Fanone testified, the select committee will begin another round of hearings.
"So, these hearings begin tomorrow night in prime time," CNN's John Berman noted in an interview Wednesday evening with Officer Fanone.
"What are the outstanding questions you have that need to be answered?" he asked. "What are the blanks you want to have filled in?"
"I have the same questions that I had when I testified last year," Fanone replied.
He said he wanted to know "if there were elected members of our government or government officials who participated in an overt effort to overturn the 2020 election."
"I want to know about our elected members and their subordinates' internal conversations and whether or not they reflect their public rhetoric," he continued. "I want to know if their subordinates coordinated with the individuals who carried out the violent attack or if elected members for that matter coordinated with these individuals, these groups, Three Percenters, the Proud Boys, et cetera."
Watch the segment below:
