Tim Scott blindsided with his Jan. 6 comments while scrambling to defend Trump
January 21, 2024
Appearing on CNN after he recently delivered an overly enthusiastic endorsement of Donald Trump, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) was confronted with his own words about the Jan. 6 insurrection when asked about the former president calling the rioters "hostages."
Appearing on "State of the Union," the South Carolina Republican was admonished by host Dana Bash for repeated accusations that the Department of Justice has been "weaponized" by President Joe Biden before pressing him on Trump defending convicted insurrectionists.
"Senator, I understand that you're talking about Joe Biden, but I do want to get your thoughts in a more fulsome way on Donald Trump, because your endorsement was a big deal and is a big deal," Bash began. "I want to take one of the examples that I gave. Donald Trump calls the January 6th rioters hostages. You were at the Capitol that day and you said that you took off your jacket, rolled up your sleeves, and you were prepared to defend yourself, quote, 'presumably until I died.'"
"Would you call the people who are now facing prosecution 'hostages'?" she pressed.
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"I would say that every single person facing our justice system should have justice done," he offered. "The facts and the evidence in each individual case matters. I have confidence that that process will play out. Here's what I said also in the book that I wrote. I talked about January 6th because I'm one of the few people who was actually there. With the people outside, 99 percent of the people who showed up were there to exercise their First Amendment rights. What I said then is what I'll say now. I don't hold those people at harm. I don't hold them responsible for the actions of a few. I do hold the few responsible."
"So, to use your words, 'the few,' who are being prosecuted and going through the justice system, would you call them hostages?" Bash pressed.
"I believe that our Department of Justice should allow a jury of our peers to make the decisions. That's America," he replied, once again avoiding the question.
"So just to be clear, and I want to move on, you disagree with Donald Trump calling them hostages, it sounds like," the CNN host asked again.
"For the third time, I believe that we should have confidence in restoring the blindfold to Lady Justice's eyes," Scott replied.
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