PRESS RELEASE Contact: press@congressionalintegrity.org
For Immediate Release
Date: March 18, 2023
McCarthy Will Bear Responsibility if Trump’s Alleged Arrest Leads to Violence from His MAGA Supporters
Washington, DC – Today, after Donald Trump himself leaked news that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday and told his supporters to “protest” and “take our nation back”, Kevin McCarthy ignored the incitement to violence and said he would direct House committees to investigate anyone who dares to hold Trump accountable. In response, Congressional Integrity Project senior advisor Brad Woodhouse issued the following statement:
“On the same day that President Trump called on his MAGA supporters to take to the streets if he is indicted for his crimes, using the same kind of exhortations which led to the violent attack on the Capitol, Kevin McCarthy added fuel to the fire by threatening anyone who dares hold Trump accountable. Rather than condemn the former president, McCarthy is using his power as speaker of the House of Representatives to attempt to stop justice from taking place, threatening and intimidating those investigating Trump’s alleged wrongdoings with investigations of their own. If Trump’s incitement of his supporters leads to violence, Kevin McCarthy will bear responsibility along with the disgraced former president.
“This is the same Kevin McCarthy who has embraced insurrectionist supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene, who cut deals to investigate wild MAGA conspiracy theories and undermine the work of January 6 Select Committee to become Speaker and who placed election deniers and subpoena dodgers on powerful committees to target President Biden and help Trump. Kevin McCarthy has turned his speakership over to Trump, election deniers, white nationalist sympathizers and the cult of MAGA and he has lost the moral high ground to lead.”