Reporter Asks Kevin McCarthy Why ‘Only Thing Republicans Will Punish One of Their Own Members for’ Is ‘Speaking Out Against Donald Trump’
The House voted to censure Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) on Wednesday after he tweeted an anime video featuring him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Gosar was also stripped of his committee assignments. Only two Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the measure.
One of those Republicans was Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), who in May was ousted via vote as chair of the Republican conference after she relentlessly criticized former president Donald Trump.
On Thursday, NBC News correspondent Garrett Haake asked Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) about the disparate treatments of Cheney and Gosar by the conference.
HAAKE: Why is it that the only Republicans will punish one of their own members for in this Congress is speaking out against Donald Trump?
MCCARTHY: How is it–I don’t understand your question.
HAAKE: The only Republican member who’s been, in any way, punished by the conference this year is Liz Cheney, who lost–
MCCARTHY: I’m sorry, did she lose a committee?
HAAKE: She lost her role in the Republican conference. I know you–
MCCARTHY: Well that’s an election. She didn’t get punished. She lost an election. I’m sorry, people go up for election all the time. No basis there.
HAAKE: Why don’t Republicans feel compelled to hold any kind of punishment for any of their members on any of these other things in which the Democrats have been so upset about?
MCCARTHY: Really? Ok, let’s talk about that since you raised the issue. Democrats have been so upset about–were they upset when Maxine Waters told people to get–
HAAKE: With all due respect–
MCCARTHY: No, with all due respect, thank you for your question. I get to answer, right? In the manner in which I have the right to.
McCarthy proceeded to rattle off a series of alleged wrongdoings by Democrats, such as Waters, who once told demonstrators at the murder trial of a police officer to “get more confrontational” if the jury did not convict. He also cited Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), for whom a suspected Chinese spy helped fundraise.
Watch above via C-SPAN.
