Republican lawmakers have leapt to escape accountability for their embrace of former President Donald Trump's lies about the validity of the 2020 election—lies which culminated in the deadly failed insurrection against the United States Capitol on January 6.
One key talking point from Republicans is the lie that Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California denied requests to send in the D.C. National Guard.
Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California—incensed after Pelosi rejected two of his appointments to the House Select Committee investigating the riots—amplified this lie during an interview with far-right Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Watch below.
McCarthy: Was there a decision by the Speaker not to have the National Guard at the Capitol that day?pic.twitter.com/9VX25vJWVl— Acyn (@Acyn) 1626920385
The Minority Leader mused:
"Was there a decision made by the Speaker not to have the National Guard at the Capitol that day?
In reality, the D.C. National Guard is the only National Guard unit out of the 54 in the United States that reports solely to the U.S. President, who—on January 6—was Donald Trump.
Though the President presides over the D.C. National Guard, these duties are sometimes delegated to the Secretary of Defense. Trump's Acting Defense Secretary—Christopher Miller—restricted the Guard to require his explicit approval before taking action to quell any unrest.
What's more, though Trump lied that he "immediately" called in the National Guard, reports show the riots went on for hours before the D.C. National Guard intervened, despite multiple calls from Capitol Police officers for assistance. Ultimately, it was Vice President Mike Pence—whom the rioters were calling to hang for not overturning the election—who facilitated the decision to bring in the Guard to clear the Capitol.
McCarthy's suggestion that Pelosi was somehow in charge of the National Guard's actions that day was quickly fact-checked by social media users, who pointed out that Trump was in control of the D.C. Guard.
Putting aside the fact that Congress does not control the National Guard \u2014 the President and Executive Branch do \u2014 why would Pelosi be any more responsible than McConnell?https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Daniel Goldman (@Daniel Goldman) 1626923821
The Speaker of the House has absolutely zero authority to call up the National Guard.\n\nBut do you know who does? The President.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Travis Akers (@Travis Akers) 1626934604
Congress has no authority to call in the National Guard. It is controlled by the executive branch\u2014& Trump not only ensured that the National Guard was not present on 1/6, his loyalists at the Pentagon PREVENTED its deployment for HOURS despite DOZENS of pleas from Capitol Police.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Andrew Wortman \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Andrew Wortman \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1626935873
Unlike every other state / territorial National Guard (which remains under local control until and unless federalized), the D.C. National Guard is under the sole and exclusive control of the President of the United States.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Steve Vladeck (@Steve Vladeck) 1626961342
No, but there was a decision by Trump not have the National Guard ready.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— David Lytle (@David Lytle) 1626932629
.@GOPLeader knows very well that the President/Executive branch is the only one who can order the deployment of the National Guard, but he assumes that Fox News viewers (@GOP base) are too stupid/uniformed to know that.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Lokigator Stan Account \ud83d\udc0a (she/her) (@Lokigator Stan Account \ud83d\udc0a (she/her)) 1626924735
While McCarthy's lies may go unchallenged by far-right mouthpieces like Ingraham, some believe these lies will be laid to rest as the 1/6 Commission's work gets underway.
JFC.... they really believe if they keep lying loud enough they can rewrite history. THERE ARE TAPED CALLS, a$bite. Oh, and the 1/6 commission will inform the world of that. Your base might keep believing your BS, but the rest of the world knows better.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Ellen Hopkins (@Ellen Hopkins) 1626924515
Has anyone in government ever seemed more frightened of the truth becoming known?https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Peter Manseau (@Peter Manseau) 1626921990
Kevy, you are losing track of your lies. That\u2019s fear we are smelling. It starts with, \u201cwhat had happened was\u201d and ends with lies and tears. The National Guard and most Americans know the rules of command, yet @GOP believes its base is too stupid to know the truth. Shameful.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1418032989246611462\u00a0\u2026— Discerning15 (@Discerning15) 1626956884
The Committee's first hearing is on July 27th.
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