'Very unexpected': GOP lawmaker struggles to defend mass pardons of officer attackers

Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) struggled to justify the massive scope of President Donald Trump's pardons of Jan. 6 rioters when confronted by CNN's Jake Tapper on Wednesday — arguing that some of the rioters were treated unfairly, but appearing uncomfortable about those who were convicted of violent offenses against police officers.

Turner, who holds a much more traditional GOP view on foreign policy compared with Trump, was recently booted out of the powerful chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), and was reportedly enraged about it.

"So Speaker Johnson is creating the subcommittee to investigate J6 and the Select Committee that investigated that day," said Tapper. 'What's your take?"

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"Well, there certainly are things to investigate, Jake, but I think January 6th is one of those days where, I think, almost all Americans' hearts break in both the visions of people, you know, physically breaking into the Capitol, people actually assaulting police officers. The scope, I think, of Trump's pardons were unexpected, as we certainly know that there are people who did unexpectedly end up in the Capitol who were peaceful, who were prosecuted politically. And there certainly has been just, you know, that day has been used for political purposes. We had, of course, the Pelosi January 6th Select Committee that was, was very, very political. There are things to continue to investigate. But at the same time, I think we're seeing really, from both sides, a great concern that doesn't really represent what I think the American people see that day and their concerns."

"The people who broke into the Capitol vandalized it, attacked cops, attacked Capitol Hill police," said Tapper. "They were pardoned. Do you have an issue with that?"

"I think that was very unexpected," said Turner. "And certainly yes, I do. Many people do. And I think the sweeping nature of it certainly was unexpected."

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