House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) posted a video celebrating bike cops on Monday. Many noted, however, that the video comes as McCarthy and other Republicans continue to deny the seriousness of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Last week, at least three Republicans downplayed the riot or denied it altogether. Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) announced that he is an insurrection denier to viewers of a House Oversight hearing, saying that those who attacked police, and trashed the Capitol were just "visitors" being "orderly" in Statuary Hall that day. Some of the attackers urinated and defecated on the floors. Clyde was one of the members with McCarthy during the bike cops event.
Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) said during the hearing that the attackers were just a "mob of misfits." Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) passed over the violence saying that "many…peacefully protested" on Jan. 6. Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA) claimed "it was Trump supporters who lost their lives that day," as if that somehow made the attack on the Capitol acceptable. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) questioned how Attorney General Merrick Garland even knows that the mob was Trump supporters and not someone else.
While McCarthy came out after the Jan. 6 attack blaming former President Donald Trump, he has since changed his tune. Last week, DC Metro Police Officer Michael Fanone tried to speak with McCarthy or his office about the attack. When he called the office he said that they hung up. When that was reported, McCarthy's office called him a liar.
At the same time, McCarthy helped craft the rules for the Jan. 6 Commission, noted Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) on MSNBC Sunday. Now McCarthy opposes those same rules.
The House is set for a vote for $1.9 billion spending bill to pay for repairs to the building, improvements to security and $521 million to pay for National Guard deployment during the months that followed.
The facts made it all the more curious that McCarthy would suddenly embrace police after he and his caucus were so dismissive.
See the comments from the web below:
@GOPLeader Doing a propaganda video proves this was just a photo op. Also, your refusal to meet with Officer Fanone… https://t.co/hsiCY4qNs5— Scott Dworkin (@Scott Dworkin) 1621260422.0
@GOPLeader Officer Fanone deserves respect and appreciation.— Devin Duke (@Devin Duke) 1621257691.0
@GOPLeader Except for Officer Fanone. And the one who got his head crushed in a door frame. And the dead ones whose… https://t.co/fO056Tedxt— PoliticOhMyGawd (@PoliticOhMyGawd) 1621257744.0
Cowardly @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy is TERRIFIED to meet with Officer Fanone, because McCarthy knows that his own li… https://t.co/PM5hjPjZFi— Jake Lobin (@Jake Lobin) 1621263631.0
@GOPLeader @ravensflockNYY Needs an edit; Except the DC police— Monique Winter 🇨🇦🇱🇺justwearthedamnmask (@Monique Winter 🇨🇦🇱🇺justwearthedamnmask) 1621263631.0
@GOPLeader Here is the truth 👇👇👇 https://t.co/mfTkQWhf6r— Debbie (@Debbie) 1621258120.0
@GOPLeader Why won't you meet with Officer Fanone?— Jeff Sites for Congress (@Jeff Sites for Congress) 1621257444.0
@MeidasTouch @GOPLeader you have, so far, not mentioned Officer Fanone at all. I must therefore assume you only… https://t.co/CxGA5b0l3h— Matias (@Matias) 1621263640.0
@GOPLeader if you REALLY believed this, you wouldn't keep blowing off meeting with Officer Fatone You have time fo… https://t.co/NNyXXg2yAw— Dana P (@Dana P) 1621258056.0
@GOPLeader Do Capitol Police deserve respect? Wondering for a few dead cops from 1/6 "tourist trip"— FacelessRick (@FacelessRick) 1621257880.0
@GOPLeader Thank you for your endorsement for the Jan 6th commission to investigate how 140+ officers were assaulte… https://t.co/zq29qEZjWg— Dana P (@Dana P) 1621257987.0
@GOPLeader Did you respect and appreciate them on 1/6?— Tim Barron (@Tim Barron) 1621257230.0
@GOPLeader If you REALLY want to "back the blue", get vaccinated... https://t.co/CG1TRGbSkB— Hugh G Merriman MD (@Hugh G Merriman MD) 1621260453.0
@GOPLeader Hey Keven. This tweet points out why no one believes you. "@GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy is either stupid,… https://t.co/rOVdUCJAHG— Norm Clark (@Norm Clark) 1621258297.0
