Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Speaker McCarthy Empowering Fox News To Spread Lies About January 6th
Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on Speaker Kevin McCarthy empowering Fox News to spread lies about the January 6th insurrection. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:
Most members of this chamber were present the day the insurrectionists attacked the Capitol on January 6th. We saw it with our own eyes. I was within 20, 30 feet of these hooligans. One of them allegedly screamed out, “let's get him,” pointing at me. Thousands of Trump supporters broke through police barricades, assaulted officers, smashed through windows to enter the building.
Our offices were ransacked, staffers hid behind closed doors and beneath conference room tables in fear—trembling in fear—for their safety.
My point is this: those of us who were here on January 6th know the attack was a violent insurrection, including Speaker McCarthy.
The Speaker has now had multiple chances to denounce Fox News for lying to the American people about January 6th. But instead of speaking out against Fox’s lies, the Speaker is sticking his head in the sand saying he hasn’t watched Tucker Carlson’s broadcast. Speaker McCarthy gives Mr. Carlson the tapes, knowing how inflammatory and dishonest Tucker Carlson is, knowing how dangerous this is, and he doesn’t even take time to watch the segment?
That is unacceptable. It is outrageous. For Speaker McCarthy not even to watch the spoiled fruits of his labor shows a callousness and unconcern far beneath the dignity of the Speaker’s office.
Senators from both sides of the aisle, thankfully, both sides of the aisle, have called out Fox News for lying. Leader McConnell has acknowledged Fox News is lying. The Capitol Police Chief, sticking up for his own officers, has called out Fox News for lying. Every leader on Capitol Hill has done the right thing by calling out Fox News’s lies—except for Speaker McCarthy.
By remaining silent, Speaker McCarthy is empowering Tucker Carlson’s lies. The Speaker is outing himself as a January 6th denier in complete accord and in line with Tucker Carlson. It’s a shame.
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