Earlier today: Congressman David McKinley admitted that “Trump was responsible for what happened on Wednesday” but then added “so were others”
McKinley also believes that Trump “didn’t intend for someone to break into the Capitol building”
Ready with his false equivalencies, David McKinley (WV-1) was on Hoppy Kercheval’s talk show earlier today. Kercheval asked McKinley if Trump was responsible for the attack on the Capitol. McKinley answered “yes, absolutely” but then he quickly suggested that others were to blame:
”But so was the media, talk shows, social media, and members of Congress.”
According to McKinley, it’s all about a lack of civility. I’m sorry, Congressman, civility - or lack thereof, does not justify in any shape or form Trump’s actions on Wednesday. (I was surprised that Kercheval did not follow-up on this.)
McKinley also said that he believed that Trump didn’t want his followers to attack the Capitol. That would seem to be contradicted by Trump’s earlier tweets and that most of the mob had come directly from a Trump speech. From ABC News:
Many who participated in the chaos at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday came straight from an event held by President Donald Trump.
Trump's "Save America Rally" included the president telling supporters to "stop the steal" of the election, urging them to head to the Capitol to demonstrate against Congress certifying President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Among the crowd's battle cries was, "Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!"
Senate Republicans have also pointed out the connection. Here, for example, is Republican Ben Sasse on conservative Hugh Hewitt’s radio show earlier today:
Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska, citing conversations with senior White House officials, said on Hugh Hewitt's radio show that President Trump "wanted chaos on television" on Wednesday and was "confused about why other people on his team weren’t as excited as he was as you had rioters pushing against Capitol Police trying to get into the building."
Here’s the McKinley clip:
West Virginia First District Congressman @RepMcKinley speaks with @HoppyKercheval about the insurrection of the Capitol on Wednesday and the election. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/kGakWXqp62
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) January 8, 2021
