Republicans slam own party for defense of Jan. 6 attack

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Republican National Committee for its defense of the violent attack on the Capitol as “legitimate political discourse.”

“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.

He also criticized the committee for censuring two House GOP lawmakers investigating the “violent insurrection” on Jan. 6, 2021, saying it’s not the party’s job to police the views of lawmakers.

His comments echoed the views of several other GOP senators.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney even texted his niece, RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, to register his disagreement with the statement that censured Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger for participating in the congressional probe of Jan. 6.

“To suggest that a violent attack on the seat of democracy is legitimate political discourse is so far from accurate as to … make people wonder what we’re thinking,” Romney said. “Anything that my party does that comes across as being stupid is not going to help us.”

Maine Sen. Susan Collins called it “absurd” to portray a violent riot as a peaceful protest.

And Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 3 GOP leader in the Senate, added it “was not an accurate description.”

Collins said the GOP would be on course for victory in the midterms if it stuck to attacking the supposed failings of President Biden, and steered clear of Trump’s conspiracy theories.