Republican’s comments backfired — and blew up GOP efforts to whitewash the insurrection: analysis
Republican efforts whitewash the January 6th insurrection took a hit on Wednesday when 35 House Republicans joined with Democrats to approve legislation to create a commission to investigate the incident.
According to a new analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one congressman's absurd defense of the insurrectionists may have backfired on Republicans.
"A week after U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Athens, described the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as a 'normal tourist visit,' Democrats repeatedly threw Clyde's words back at the Georgia Republican as the U.S. House on Wednesday approved a bill to set up a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack," Jamie Dupree wrote.
Dupree noted multiple Democrats cited Clyde's comments during debate on the legislation.
"Clyde's 'normal tourist visit' comment in a Congressional hearing clearly got under the skin of Democrats, many of whom believe Republicans like Clyde and U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Greensboro, are doing all they can to whitewash the Capitol Attack, and to blur any responsibility for former President Donald Trump," Dupree wrote. "Democrats pointed to photographs from inside the House chamber on Jan. 6 which showed Clyde helping to barricade the doors, as rioters tried to bust their way onto the House floor, where dozens and dozens of lawmakers were sheltering from the violence."
"Much like Republicans embraced the term 'deplorables' from Hillary Clinton in the 2016 campaign, Democrats moved to turn Clyde's 'tourist' comment into a boilerplate attack on the GOP, transposed with pictures of Trump supporters scaling the walls of the Capitol, and clashing with police," Dupree explained. "And it wasn't tourism. As Congressman Clyde may hear his words echo back to him for many months to come."
Clyde's comments were also featured on the "Late Show" with Stephen Colbert:
Watch:
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