Kevin McCarthy has had a long career in California politics but he basically never gets anything right and no one thought he would pick serious investigators for the bipartisan select committee looking into the failed Trump coup. Pelosi picked one Republican for him-- Liz Cheney-- and McCarthy came up with 5 Trump stooges, none of whom are exactly known for their integrity of probity: Gym Jordan (OH), Jim Banks (IN), Troy Nehls (TX), Kelly Armstrong (ND) and Rodney Davis (IL). In Republican Bizarro World Earth 2, Davis and Armstrong, not being outright Nazis, might be considered "mainstream" instead of extreme right-wingers (which is what they are) in comparison to the 3 fascist enemies of America McCarthy chose to disrupt the committee and protect Trump and himself.
Obviously all 5 voted against impeaching Trump, but Jordan, Banks and Nehls were also among the minority of congressmembers who voted against certifying the election, bringing into question their own commitment to justice and loyalist to the constitution and democracy.
All 5 were chosen to impede the investigation and who would expect anything else from Kevin McCarthy? Banks, one of Congress' most nakedly ambitious little fascists and the proposed ranking member, said on his nomination: "[W]e need leaders who will force the Democrats and the media to answer questions so far ignored... Make no mistake, Nancy Pelosi created this committee solely to malign conservatives and to justify the Left’s authoritarian agenda. Even then, I will do everything possible to give the American people the facts about the lead up to January 6, the riot that day, and the responses from Capitol leadership and the Biden administration. I will not allow this committee to be turned into a forum for condemning millions of Americans because of their political beliefs."
One of the progressives on Pelosi's leadership team, Los Angeles Congressman Ted Lieu, a decorated air Force officer, told us this morning that "it could have been worse. My sincere hope is that Republicans on the Select Committee will take their responsibility seriously. Members of Congress take a solemn oath to the Constitution, not a political party or former president. The insurrection on January 6th was a dark day for America and it is important that we learn the truth. It would go a long way toward healing our nation if Republicans would join with Democrats to help get to the ground truth about the January 6th attack."
McCarthy, a notorious career-long liar, said he never even discussed the selection with Trump. Even his fellow Republicans are laughing at the absurdity of the notion, McCarthy having trekked up to Trump's Bedminster golf resort to pledge allegiance to Trump a few days ago.
Last night, the Washington Post reported that "McCarthy could be called to testify before the committee about his Jan. 6 phone call with Trump-- a conversation he has described to others as distressing. A shaken McCarthy reportedly asked Trump to help calm the president’s supporters who had broken into the Capitol that afternoon, with some of them threatening to hang Vice President Mike Pence-- who was at the Capitol to preside over the session to certify Biden’s election-- and physically harm Pelosi. Trump seemed uninterested, according to a statement from Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), who talked to McCarthy about the call. McCarthy has since given conflicting answers on whether he would testify about his contact with Trump on the day of the attack. Jordan, meanwhile, has rejected the idea that he or others should be subpoenaed to testify about their interactions with Trump. 'I think this commission is ridiculous, and why would they subpoena me? I didn’t do anything wrong-- I talked to the president,' Jordan said in May. 'I talk to the president all the time. I just think that’s-- you know where I’m at on this commission-- this is all about going after President Trump. That seems obvious.' It’s unclear if Jordan meant he spoke with Trump on Jan. 6. His office did not respond to a request at the time to clarify his remarks."
The progressive Democrat taking on McCarthy for the Bakersfield-centered 23rd congressional district in California is Navy vet, union iron worker and working actor Bruno Amato. You can contribute to his grassroots campaign by clicking on the Bluer California thermometer on the left. This morning he told me that as "leader of the radical right and a Q sympathizer, McCarthy fooled no one with his picks, or should I say, Trump's picks. Having met with the disgraced ex-president just hours after it was revealed in an upcoming book that the joint chiefs General Mark Millie compared Trump's actions after Biden won the election as those of Adolph Hitler. McCarthy's all white male members have one goal-- cover up and protect McCarthy, Trump, and other member of the radical right party. I took an oath when I joined the military, to defend and protect this country against ALL enemies foreign and domestic, that includes congressmen like McCarthy who helped incite the insurrection and who are now trying to cover their tracks. When I beat McCarthy I won't be spending my time protecting domestic terrorists who attack our Capitol and beat and killed cops, I'll be working to bring better healthcare, jobs, a cleaner environment and anything that will better the lives of the constituents of California's 23rd District."
