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Trump and the Jan 6 Committee Both Keep Upping the Ante

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 27: Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) (R) and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) (C), joined by fellow committee members, speak to the media following a hearing of the House Select Committee investigatin... WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 27: Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) (R) and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) (C), joined by fellow committee members, speak to the media following a hearing of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on July 27, 2021 at the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, DC. Members of law enforcement testified about the attack by supporters of former President Donald Trump on the U.S. Capitol. According to authorities, about 140 police officers were injured when they were trampled, had objects thrown at them, and sprayed with chemical irritants during the insurrection. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MORE LESS

By Josh Marshall

February 8, 2022 1:24 p.m.

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The RNC said crystal clear and out in the open that January 6th was “legitimate political discourse.” The first explanation of how this didn’t mean what it clearly meant was that they somehow only meant the stuff that happened before things got violent and turned into an insurrection. So only the pre-insurrection stuff even though the only reason anyone is investigating January 6th is the violence and insurrection. Now Kevin McCarthy, literally dashing away as Manu Raju asked him the question, is trying another tack. He says the RNC statement about Jan. 6th wasn’t even about January 6th. It was about six members of the RNC who have been subpoenaed by the committee. And they were in Florida on Jan. 6th. And remember it has nothing to do with Jan. 6th. Which RNC members? He won’t say.

Here’s the video.

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