Adam Kinzinger, one of two Republicans on the House Select Committee investigating the attack on the United States Capitol, said that Republican leader Kevin McCarthy had given Donald Trump a political lifeline after the riots. , which he soon accused of opening the door for “an element of madness.” House of Representatives controlled by Republicans.
“He’s the reason why Donald Trump is still so important,” Kinzinger told CNN on Jan. 1. “He is the reason why the crazy element of the Maison still exists.”
The Illinois Representative is one of several Republicans in the House who voted to impeach the former president for fomenting an attack on Congress in an attempt to overthrow the 2020 presidential election.
According to Kinzinger, the Republican House Speaker had an opportunity to tell the “truth” after being attacked, but weeks later he visited the former president’s estate in Mar-a-Lago, Fla., and effectively “took away” Trump’s political career. It is said that he was revived.
Kinzinger said Republicans “reluctantly” accepted McCarthy during his “second” visit to Trump after he stepped down as president in January 2021.
“Donald Trump should see Kevin McCarthy as his best friend because he is politically alive today because of Kevin McCarthy,” Kinzinger said.
Kinzinger and Republican colleague Liz Cheney on the House Select Committee will not be returning to Congress this week. Kinzinger did not seek re-election, and Cheney lost the primary for control of the Wyoming seat in the House of Representatives to a Trump-backed challenger. All but two Republicans who voted to impeach Trump lost the primary or did not seek re-election.
As the House selection committee prepared to end its months-long work ahead of the incoming Republican House majority, the committee announced on Dec. 19 that Trump was found guilty of four criminal charges, including obstruction, conspiracy and incitement to riot. passed a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. .
Mr. Kinzinger said of the former president, “From the standpoint of the president, from the standpoint of the oath, what he did is clearly problematic. “If this isn’t a crime, I don’t know what a crime is. There are no limits to what a president can or cannot do as long as he is not questioned.”
Kinzinger said he believed “the Department of Justice will do the right thing” pursuant to the non-binding commission’s mandate. Federal prosecutors are separately investigating the former president in connection with the attack.
“I think he will be prosecuted and, frankly, I think he should be prosecuted,” he added. I worry about the future because every future president can say, Hey, this is Burr, and Burr will do everything he can to stay in power.”
