The House Select Committee investigating last year’s Capitol riot has asked Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to come forward and discuss his communications with President Donald Trump during the violence.
In a letter sent to McCarthy (R-Calif.) Wednesday, committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) cited a phone conversation between McCarthy and Trump as the riot unfolded, as well as interactions between McCarthy and then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, as being of special interest.
“You have acknowledged speaking directly with the former President while the violence was underway on January 6th,” Thompson wrote. “And you summarized your conclusions regarding President Trump’s conduct on January 6th in a speech you made January 13th on the House floor.”
The panel was referring to angry remarks by McCarthy last year, during which he said the 45th president “bears responsibility” for the Capitol attack.
“We also must learn about how the President’s plans for January 6th came together, and all the other ways he attempted to alter the results of the election,” Thompson wrote. “For example, in advance of January 6th, you reportedly explained to Mark Meadows and the former President that objections to the certification of the electoral votes on January 6th ‘was doomed to fail.’ “
McCarthy’s conversations with Trump became a focus of the former president’s second impeachment trial after Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) released a statement recalling that McCarthy told her that Trump had said: “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are,” referencing the rioters.
Thompson also pointed to media interviews in which the top House Republican said he engaged in a “very heated conversation” with Trump and called on him to tell the mob to stop rampaging through the Capitol.
“Additionally, the Committee would like to question you regarding your communications with President Trump, White House staff, and others in the week after the January 6th attack, particularly regarding President Trump’s state of mind at that time,” Thompson wrote.
“The Select Committee has contemporaneous text messages from multiple witnesses identifying significant concerns following January 6th held by White House staff and the President’s supporters regarding President Trump’s state of mind and his ongoing conduct.”
The committee proposed McCarthy meet with them on Feb 3 or Feb. 4.
McCarthy is the third sitting lawmaker with whom the committee has requested to speak, following two vocal Trump allies — Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Scott Perry (R-Pa.).
Both Perry and Jordan indicated they do not plan to cooperate with the request.
McCarthy previously expressed an openness to speaking with the panel last year, but it remains unclear whether he will comply. The Post has reached out to McCarthy for comment.
This is a developing story.
