On Friday's edition of MSNBC's "Deadline: White House," Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA) said that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is far from the only Republican who has been trying to hide his true feelings about former President Donald Trump.
"I have to ask if you heard the tapes before?" asked anchor Nicolle Wallace.
"Well, I hadn't heard the tapes themselves, but I would say that although it may appear surprising, it is par for the course for the Republican colleagues to say one thing in private and not have the courage to speak up in the same way in the public," said Luria.
"You are immersed in the evidence," said Wallace. "If you have any role in — we covered the Republicans with great skepticism and painted an alternate reality to hear McCarthy on tape to say this ... do you view the acknowledgement that an assumption is made that Pence would have to pardon him after he resigns and the criminal conduct?"
"Certainly I think any time someone talks about pardon, there's implied criminal conduct," said Luria. "Can't read the words of what he meant by this will pass. My impression is if he resigns and out of the White House then the tension on it may pass. Probably how I interpreted that. But it is certainly implied if you talk about pardoning that you are implying that criminal conduct is in question and, as you mentioned earlier in the broadcast, there were the indications that former President Trump said to McCarthy that he felt some responsibility relative to the events on January 6. Tying the pieces together in real time, I would understand why McCarthy would, in the back of his mind, have the idea that there could have been criminal activity and Trump could be interested in seeking a pardon on the other side of this."
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Congresswoman says Republicans often change what they say publicly -- it's not just Kevin McCarthy www.youtube.com
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