Trump news: Kevin McCarthy says ex-president accepted responsibility for Jan 6 in new audio
This blog has now closed
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A newly released audio recording from January 2021 features House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy telling Republican members that Donald Trump “bears responsibility for his words and actions” around the 6 January riot – and that the then-president told him “he does have some responsibility for what happened”.
Mr McCarthy yesterday denied a New York Times report that said he had considered urging Mr Trump to step down in the aftermath of the riot – but not long after his statement was put out, audio of that conversation was released, confirming that the report was accurate and that Mr McCarthy’s denial was false.
Liz Cheney’s office has denied leaking the earlier recording of a discussion between the congresswoman and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in which the two discussed whether Donald Trump should resign after the events of 6 January 2021.
On the recording, Mr McCarthy tells Ms Cheney – now a member of the 6 January committee – that he would suggest Mr Trump resign from office in the face of a looming impeachment.
GOP engages in remote voting after calling it unconstitutional
Dozens of GOP lawmakers have used the House’s remote voting system after many denounced the same plan as unconstitutional when it was first unveiled.
The Associated Press found more than 50 House Republicans who joined a lawsuit against the practice have since used it themselves to vote.
Read more:
GOP lawmakers vote remotely more often after initial scorn
Just seven Republicans joined most Democrats to use remote voting in the House when it began two years ago as the pandemic erupted
Dr Jerome Adams, the former US Surgeon General under Donald Trump, excoriated a Trump-appointed federal judge on social media after her ruling ending a nationwide mask mandate on trains and airplanes.
“Remind me - which ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ explains to kids how a single unelected judge has the power to endanger their lives in public settings?” Mr Adams quipped, substituting in his own lyrics: “I’m just a judge — I’m just a judge, and I’m hurting you cuz I’ve got a grudge”.
Read more from The Independent:
Trump’s surgeon general condemns judge who overturned mask mandate on planes
‘I’m just a judge, and I’m hurting you cuz I’ve got a grudge’
Judge delays trial for Sandy Hook hoaxer Alex Jones
A judge has delayed the trial of Sandy Hook hoaxer and top Trump supporter Alex Jones after he filed for bankruptcy.
Mr Jones faces an accusation of defamation for his work to spread conspiracies about parents of slain Sandy Hook Elementary students.
A judge said this week that the trial would begin “as soon as I possibly can”, once the bankruptcy court’s pause on civil litigation against Mr Jones and his company ends.
Read more in The Independent:
Alex Jones’ Sandy Hook defamation trial delayed after filing for bankruptcy
Trial was scheduled to start next week in Texas to determine how much the far-right radio host should pay out to families of the victims of the mass shooting
Dem state senator smeared by Republican appears on Morning Joe
Mallory McMorrow layed into her GOP rivals in an interview on Morning Joe on Wednesday, accusing the party of fully embracing Qanon-style conspiracies.
Speaking after a Republican state senator accused her (without evidence or purpose) of being a “groomer”, Ms Morrow said that her opponents were engaged in “full fringe QAnon hateful, hateful rhetoric with no actual policy”.
Read more in The Independent:
Democrat who blasted ‘groomer’ slur accuses GOP of ‘fringe QAnon hateful rhetoric’
‘This moment is going to require straight, white, Christian, suburban moms to stand up and get uncomfortable and say this is not okay’
ICYMI: Biden to attend Correspondent’s dinner
Joe Biden will attend the White House Correspondent’s Association annual dinner next week, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.
The event will mark the first time a president has attended since the days of the Obama administration.
Read more from The Independent’s Eric Garcia:
Biden to attend the White House Correspondents Dinner Trump boycotted
Trump never attended the event as president and it was put on hold during the pandemic
ICYMI: Video of Zelensky looking horrified after Trump tells him to work with Putin
As Republicans suggest that Donald Trump would have had a stronger response to Russian aggression in Ukraine, they are facing reminders of the reality that Mr Trump’s relationship with Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky was tenuous at best.
Aside from the fact that the president was impeached by the House in 2020 for pushing Mr Zelensky to open a baseless, politically-damaging criminal investigation into Joe Biden or his son Hunter as he prepared to face Mr Biden in the 2020 election, a video of Mr Trump’s in-person press conference with Mr Zelensky is also resurfacing as it reveals the clear distance between the two leaders.
In the video, Mr Zelensky makes a visibly pained expression while the then-president suggests that Mr Zelensky and Mr Putin should ”get together and solve your problem”.
At the time, Russian forces were already supporting separatist governments in Crimea and Donbas, where fighting has taken place since 2014.
Read more:
Video resurfaces of a horrified Zelensky as Trump tells him to work with Putin
‘Everyone seems to be focusing on Zelenskyy’s face when all I can think of is where we’d be if that incompetent a**hole was POTUS right now’
Rudy Giuliani unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer’, sings ‘Bad to the Bone’
Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor and former attorney to ex-president Donald Trump, was unmasked on Wednesday’s episode of Fox’s “The Masked Singer” as Jack in the Box. He was also the first star to be eliminated from the third round of contestants.
Mr Giuliani made an appearance on stage singing “Bad to the Bone” by George Thorogood & the Destroyers, leaving the judges and the audience stunned.
Judge Ken Jeong, who looked visibly upset with Mr Giuliani’s appearance, said “I’m done”, before walking off stage.
Inga Parkel has more here:
Rudy Giuliani is revealed as Jack in the Box on Masked Singer US
First competitor from the final round has exited the show
Giuliani says he appeared on ‘The Masked Singer’ to be an example for his granddaughter
Rudy Giuliani, who made a shocking appearance on the Fox show “The Masked Singer” on Wednesday said in an interview with host Nick Cannon that he decided to appear on the show to be an example for his granddaughter.
“I want her to know you should try everything -- even things that are completely unlike you and unlikely -- and I couldn’t think of anything more unlike me or unlikely than this,” he said.
The former attorney for Donald Trump, who sang “Bad to the Bone” on stage, was speculated to be a part of the show for many weeks. However, he surprised many as Jack in the Box.
Trump says Piers Morgan promo was ‘doctored’
Former president Donald Trump hit out at presenter Piers Morgan and accused him of doctoring the promo of his interview to suggest that the Republican leader stormed out of the room.
In a series of shots, an irate Mr Trump is shown grimacing as Mr Morgan calls the 2020 election “free and fair” and says the ex-president “never produced the hard evidence” to prove otherwise. The former president was seen trying to interject by shouting “excuse me” over and over again.
Here’s what the former president has said now in a statement:
Trump says Piers Morgan promo ‘doctored’ as video shows him storming out of interview
Trump also calls former vice president Mike Pence ‘weak and foolish’, according to promo
Trump tells Morgan he has hit seven hole-in-ones on the golf course
Former US president Donald Trump claimed he hit not one, but seven hole-in-ones on the golf course while speaking to Piers Morgan ahead of an interview for his new show “Piers Morgan Uncensored”.
In a first-person account in The Sun, the former Good Morning Britain presenter gave dramatic details of the moments that led up to the interview.
Morgan, who joined the Rupert Murdoch-owned TalkTV to host his own programme, met the former president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Read more here:
Trump ‘implausibly’ claims he has hit seven hole-in-ones on the golf course
In an account in The Sun, Morgan gives dramatic details of the events that led upto the interview
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments