Andrew Yang backpedals on Mar-a-Lago search tweets as CNN's Jim Acosta tries to get a straight answer
This week after the FBI executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago for classified information, former presidential candidate Andrew Yang went on the attack against Attorney General Merrick Garland, purporting that the execution of a search warrant was politically motivated and attacking President Joe Biden.
As more information has become known, Yang has been forced to walk back some of the attacks. Speaking to CNN's Jim Acosta on Sunday, Yang was backpedaling even more. When asked about it, he pivoted to the horrific attacks being seen on FBI agents and their families.
"But are you saying that -- I don't think you answered my question," Acosta came back. "Are you saying the attorney general had political motivations with this search at Mar-a-Lago?"
"Oh, I trust that all of the DOJ employees, and particularly the FBI agents, are faithful public servants discharging their duty," Yang said, still refusing to answer. "And it hurts us all that people are singling out individuals in the way that Donie [O'Sullivan] described. It's really awful."
So, Acosta asked again.
"Right. But going back to your tweet that you posted in response to this, you seemed to be suggesting that it was okay for the former president to be bringing top-secret documents to Mar-a-Lago. Is that what you're saying?"
Yang insisted that it wasn't acceptable and then blamed the reports, implying that his opinion changed after further information became revealed and after Garland made a public statement. That didn't stop Acosta, however.
"Right, and Donie was laying out the shifting explanations for why Trump had these documents at Mar-a-Lago," the host said. "We can put that graphic up on screen again. Talking about everything from, well, the documents were declassified in advance. Today Trump is saying they fall under attorney/client privilege. And some of the people who work for Trump, and Trump even himself, have suggested that these documents were planted. Do you buy any of the explanations coming from Trump and his team?"
Yang conceded that the rapidly evolving excuses and explanations continue to be inconsistent. He blamed the collective denialism of the electorate, however.
"But the tough reality we're in, Jim, which you and I both know is there are now maybe 100 or 1,000 different versions of reality that are being accepted by Americans of different ideological backgrounds. And it's going to be very, very difficult," said Yang.
Acosta came back again.
"Forgive me for trying to pin you down, Andrew. Are you okay with Trump taking top-secret documents to Mar-a-Lago? Let's put it that way," he asked.
Yang finally made it clear that he wasn't.
Watch the exchange below
Andrew Yang back-peddles on Mar-a-Lago search as CNN's Jim Acosta hammers him www.youtube.com
