McConnell Condemns RNC For Calling Jan. 6 Rioters ‘Protesters’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Kentucky) condemned the Republican National Committee after their censure of GOP Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyoming) and Adam Kinzinger (Illinois) for their involvement on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.

McConnell strongly disagreed with the RNC’s labeling of the Jan. 6 riots as “legitimate political discourse,” calling it instead “a violent insurrection with the purpose of trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election.”

RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel made efforts to clarify her previous statement, saying that Cheney and Kinzinger were persecuting citizens who were “engaged in legitimate political discourse” but “that had nothing to do with the violence at the Capitol.”

McConnell also voiced that condemning members of their own party should not be the focus for the RNC.

“Traditionally, the view of the national party committees is that we support all members of our party, regardless of their positions on some issues,” he told reporters. “The issue is whether or not the RNC should be sort of singling out members of our party who may have different views of the majority. That’s not the job of the RNC.”

The RNC’s resolution has taken away from the congressional Republicans’ focus on capitalizing on what they see as the Biden administration’s failures.

House Republicans met on Tuesday to discuss ensuring that Cheney does not get re-elected. Kinzinger has already announced his retirement.

“People want them kicked out,” said Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R). But, she added, “it’d be really ridiculous to kick them out of the conference, but not work hard to make sure Liz Cheney is defeated.”