WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is criticizing the Republican National Committee for censuring two House GOP lawmakers investigating the “violent insurrection” on Jan. 6, 2021.
“We all were here. We saw what happened. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election, from one administration to the next,” McConnell said Tuesday.
As former President Donald Trump has downplayed the attack, the RNC last week took a voice vote to approve censuring Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
McConnell also disagreed with that decision.
"With regard to the suggestion that the RNC should be in the business of picking and choosing Republicans who ought to be supported, traditionally the view of the national party committees is we support all members of our party regardless of their positions on some issues," he said.
The RNC resolution censuring Cheney and Kinzinger assailed the House panel for leading a “persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse."
Those words have prompted a firm pushback from Democrats and some Republicans.