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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has been actively attempting yet failing to undermine the work of the House panel investigating the Capitol riots. McCarthy’s recent threats suggesting what would happen if the GOP regained control of the House in 2022 was shut down by legal experts.
Both political parties are ramping up efforts for campaigns and messaging for the 2022 midterms that would determine which parties maintain control of which chamber under US President Joe Biden’s term. It is no secret that McCarthy has ambitions to become the House Speaker should the Republican Party regain control of the House in 2022. Legal experts have weighed in on McCarthy’s recent threats to telecom companies who are facing subpoenas to turn over records of certain members of Congress.
McCarthy threatened the telecommunications companies that the Republicans would punish them if they complied with the subpoenas presented by the House panel. This led many legal experts, among them former prosecutors, to criticize the House Minority leader’s statement.
“And this is precisely what happens when our law enforcement authorities refuse to TIMELY hold criminal politicians accountable. It encourages further crime -- like McCarthy criminally obstructing a congressional proceeding. Hey DOJ -- start enforcing the damn law!” tweeted Glenn Kirschner.
“Congress under both Democratic and Republican control has routinely subpoenaed records from telephone companies as it is a standard investigative tool. Does @GOPLeader truly want to undermine his own authority to issue subpoenas in the future? Still, he has no recourse here,” tweeted Daniel Goldsman.
“This is nonsense. A subpoena is not “strong-arming” and there’s no violation of federal law when companies comply,” tweeted Elie Honig.
Meanwhile, Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney condemned a speech by North Carolina GOP Rep. Madison Cawthorn during an event and called for McCarthy to take the appropriate action. Cheney cited that Cawthorn suggested “bloodshed” to further the false claims of voter fraud by disgraced, twice-impeached former President Donald Trump during the 2020 elections.
Speaking with CBS News, Cheney said that Cawthorn used language that would incite violence among supporters. The Wyoming Republican, who also sits on the House committee investigating the insurrection of January 6, said that McCarthy must make clear to members in his caucus that the rhetoric expressed by Cawthorn is not acceptable.
