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A2 UP FRONT
Thursday 10 February 2022
McConnell rebukes RNC, calls Jan. 6 ‘violent insurrection’

Similarly, former Vice Presi-
dent Mike Pence has most-
ly avoided talking about
the insurrection, even
though he was in the build-
ing as it happened and
some rioters were calling
for his death. But on Friday,
he addressed Trump’s re-
peated criticism that he
could have “overturned”
the election in his ceremo-
nial role overseeing the
electoral count.
“President Trump is wrong,”
Pence said to a gathering
of the conservative Feder-
alist Society. “I had no right
to overturn the election.”
While few Republicans
openly defended the
RNC’s move, several said it
was the party’s prerogative
to take the vote.
“The RNC has any right to
take any action and the
position that I have is that
you’re ultimately held ac-
countable to voters in your
district,” said New York
Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No.
Ronna McDaniel, the GOP chairwoman, speaks during the Republican National Committee winter meeting Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, in 3 Republican in the House.
Salt Lake City. “We’re going to hear the
Associated Press feedback and the views of
Continued from Front elections, when they have tion, but “every moment week after the attack. In voters pretty quickly here
a chance of taking back that is spent relitigating a a speech after the Sen- this year.”
“It was a violent insurrec- the Senate, and not back lost election or defending ate vote, McConnell said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said
tion for the purpose of try- to what happened in Janu- those who have been con- “there is no question that Cheney and Kinzinger’s role
ing to prevent the peaceful ary 2021. victed of criminal behavior President Trump is practi- on the House committee
transfer of power after a le- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, moves us further away from cally and morally respon- is “not helpful.” Sen. Josh
gitimately certified election said the RNC has said it the goal of victory this fall.” sible for provoking the Hawley, R-Mo., who along
from one administration to wants the party to be uni- McDaniel denied that the events of that day,” and with Cruz led objections to
the next,” said McConnell, fied, “and that was not a “legitimate political dis- that “a mob was assault- the certification of Biden’s
R-Ky. He said he still has unifying action.” Sen. Rich- course” wording in the cen- ing the Capitol in his name. victory on Jan. 6, 2021, said
confidence in RNC Chair ard Shelby, R-Ala., said he sure resolution was referring These criminals were carry- it is a distraction to have
Ronna McDaniel, but “the believes the GOP should to the violent attack on the ing his banners, hanging his Republicans in Washington
issue is whether or not the be a “big tent.” Republi- Capitol. She said it had to flags, and screaming their like McConnell “bashing
RNC should be sort of sin- can Sens. Lindsey Graham do with other actions taken loyalty to him.” other Republicans.”
gling out members of our of South Carolina and Mitt by the House committee in- His use of the word “insur- “If you come to the state of
party who may have differ- Romney of Utah contacted vestigating the riot. But the rection” — the act of ris- Missouri and talk to Repub-
ent views than the major- McDaniel to discuss the resolution drew no such dis- ing up against established licans, people who are go-
ity. That’s not the job of the censure. tinction. authority — is significant. ing to be voting in our pri-
RNC.” Romney, who is McDaniel’s Cheney said Monday that Many in his party have in- mary, they probably agree
McConnell and others uncle, told reporters that she had been receiving sisted that it was not an in- with what the RNC did,”
would prefer to talk about it “could not have been a a “tremendous amount surrection, trying to portray Hawley said.
issues in this election year more inappropriate” mes- of support” in the wake it as a peaceful protest. Trump issued a statement
such as inflation versus the sage from the party. of the censure vote. “I Still, the GOP leader on Wednesday saying that
discourse over the insurrec- “Anything that my party think every American who doesn’t often mention Jan. that McConnell “does not
tion and Trump’s lies about does that comes across as watched the video of that 6 and did not participate speak for the Republican
the 2020 vote. being stupid is not going to attack and who watched in remembrance ceremo- Party.”
The rioters were repeat- help us,” he said. that attack unfold knows nies on the anniversary of As Republicans fought
ing Trump’s false claims of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, that it was really shameful the attack last month. Last among themselves, Dem-
widespread voter fraud said the rioters who “broke to suggest that that what summer, he rallied his con- ocrats piled on. House
and a stolen win, even af- windows and breached happened that day might ference to vote against a Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-
ter election officials and the Capitol were not en- be legitimate political dis- bipartisan commission that Calif., said Wednesday that
courts across the country gaged in legitimate po- course,” she said. would have independent- the GOP “cannot hide”
repeatedly dismissed those litical discourse, and to say McConnell has maintained ly investigated the siege, from what happened on
claims. otherwise is absurd.” his criticism of Trump over emphasizing to GOP col- Jan. 6.
McConnell and his closest Collins said the GOP start- the insurrection, though he leagues that they should “They seem to have
allies have said for months ed out the year with an voted to acquit Trump af- focus on the future and is- reached rock bottom” with
that they want to look for- advantage on issues that ter the House impeached sues that will help them win the censure resolution, she
ward to this November’s could decide the elec- the then-president one back the Senate. said. q