(Republicaninformer.com)- Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy said he doesn’t regret his decision to turn over thousands of hours of Capitol surveillance footage to Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
After Tucker Carlson broadcast the first round of clips from the surveillance footage on Monday night, some prominent Republican lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell condemned Fox News and accused Carlson of trying to downplay the events of the January 6 riot.
When asked by CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju if he regretted his decision to give the footage to Carlson, McCarthy said he didn’t, adding that he had said from the start that it was about “transparency.” He said he wanted the public to be able to look at the footage so they could see what went on that day.
McCarthy said people should be able to draw their own conclusions about what happened on January 6, and accused CNN of endangering security at the Capitol when it revealed lawmakers’ movements during the riot.
The speaker also noted the “tragic” deaths of Capitol Police officers who died after the riot, including four who later committed suicide. He said he wants to make sure Capitol police officers are protected, but added that he also wants to ensure “transparency goes forward.”
https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1633441946810085378
When speaking to reporters earlier on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he agreed with Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger’s earlier comments. He said it was “a mistake” for Fox News to permit the riot to be depicted in a way that is at odds with what Chief Manger thinks.
Chief Manger had earlier accused Tucker Carlson of making “offensive and misleading conclusions” about the events on January 6, 2021. He also called Carlson’s assertion that Officer Brian Sicknick’s death was not caused by the riot a “disturbing accusation.”
According to the medical examiner, Sicknick died of natural causes.
