Listen: New audio reveals McCarthy feared 25th Amendment wouldn’t oust Trump fast enough
On Wednesday, CNN revealed the existence of new audio of a call with GOP leadership that suggested House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was sympathetic to the idea that former President Donald Trump should be removed after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol — but believed that the 25th Amendment was an inadequate solution because it wouldn't remove him fast enough.
"The call took place on January 8, 2021, and the audio was obtained for the new book 'This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America's Future,' by Jonathan Martin and Alex Burns," reported Clare Fore and Melanie Zanona. "At one point in the recording, McCarthy asks an aide for a readout of a separate call. It's not clear exactly what call he is referring to. The aide responds, 'I think the options that have been cited by the Democrats so far are the 25th Amendment, which is not exactly an elegant solution here.'"
"McCarthy interjects to say, 'That takes too long too. It could go back to the House, right?'" said the report. "The aide responds, 'Correct. If the President were to submit a letter overruling the Cabinet and the vice president, two-thirds vote in the House and the Senate to overrule the President. So it's kind of an armful.'"
McCarthy said at another point in the recording that "What the President did is atrocious and totally wrong." But he also added that he believed the other option, impeachment, would divide the nation further.
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Ultimately, several Republicans in the House and Senate voted to impeach and convict Trump, respectively, for incitement to insurrection, although not enough in the Senate for conviction.
Subsequently, McCarthy — who did not vote for impeachment — has professed his continuing allegiance to Trump.
Watch the clip below or at this link:
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