GOP senators on Sunday criticized House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to share about 41,000 hours of Capitol security footage from January 6, 2021, only with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who edited it selectively to deny the violent uprising.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (RN.D.) agreed with McCarthy’s decision to release the length, but said the speaker should have been distributed widely.
“What I would like, maybe with the 41,000 hour release, is to release it to one person in prime time, which is, you know, a bit sensational in its approach, and instead of just releasing it. everyone,” Cramer told NBC’s “Meet The Press.” “I think transparency is really the best way to go.”
McCarthy has defended giving the material to Carlson, who broadcast his version of the riot last week, claiming most members of the crowd were “bystanders”.
“Have you ever had an exclusive?” Because I see it on your network all the time. So we have an exclusive, and then I’m going to give it to the whole country,” McCarthy told reporters last month.
Cramer acknowledged the pro-Donald Trump riots were “clearly not a peaceful protest,” but said he had no fear that violence would undermine democracy.
“I’ve never felt that democracy is in trouble,” Cramer told NBC’s Chuck Todd. “We survived the civil war, we will survive.”
But he said that relitigating January 6 is not a winning argument for Republicans, who said they should focus on other issues, like inflation.
Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY), have called out Carlson for promoting the lie that the uprising did not happen.
“Fox News should order Tucker Carlson to stop promoting the Big Lie and stop defending the rebels,” Schumer wrote on Twitter.
Carlson also dismissed the House elections committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6 event.