OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy took umbrage at questions he was asked on Sunday by CBS News host Margaret Brennan, suggesting she was being politically biased for allegedly failing to ask Democratic leaders similar questions.
The California Republican’s pushback came during an appearance on “Face the Nation” as the two discussed how some GOP congressional members questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“You’ve put many of them on very key committees, intelligence, homeland security, oversight,” Brennan said. “Why are you elevating people who are denying reality like that?”
“Well, if you look to the Democrats, their ranking member, [Rep. Jaime] Raskin (Md.) had the same thing, denied Trump or Bush was in there,” McCarthy responded. “Bennie Thompson, who was —”
Brennan interrupted immediately, however, leading McCarthy to interject.
“Did you also be fair and equal and where you looked at — Raskin did the same thing?” McCarthy asked. “Bennie Thompson, who’s a ranking member and was the chair. These individuals were chair in the Democratic Party.”
“I’m asking you as leader, Kevin McCarthy’s House, why you made these choices?” Brennan responded. “These were your choices.”
“Yeah they’re my choices, but they’re the conference choices. But I’m also asking you, when you look to see just Republicans, Democrats have done the same thing,” McCarthy said. “So maybe it’s not denying. Maybe it’s the only opportunity they have to have a question about what went on during the election. So if you want to hold Republicans to that equation, why don’t you also hold Democrats?
“Why don’t you hold Jamie Raskin? Why don’t you hold Bennie Thompson, when Democrats had appointed them to be chair? I never once heard you ask Nancy Pelosi or any Democrat that question when they were in power in the majority, when they questioned,” McCarthy continued.
WATCH:
.@SpeakerMcCarthy: "I never once heard you ask Nancy Pelosi or any Democrat that question, when they were in power in the majority."
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy schooled CBS's Margaret Brennan over her election denialism hypocrisy. pic.twitter.com/zXcYC0ibL2
— Media Research Center (@theMRC) January 30, 2023
Brennan went on to claim that McCarthy was making a reference to the 2000 election, adding she did not have her show back then. But many of the Democrats the Speaker mentioned also called then-President Donald Trump “illegitimate” — in some cases for years after his victory over Hillary Clinton, who made the same claim — following the 2016 election cycle. Brennan became a correspondent for CBS News in 2012 and host of Face the Nation in 2018.
Here’s a transcript:
MARGARET BRENNAN: Without those rules like that, right now. That’s a risk. You really think you can control the Freedom Caucus and some of those more conservative members who gave you such a hard time?
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: Everybody has a voice. But let me- let me explain that. That one vote to vacate, that’s not new. That’s been around for 100 years. The only person who took it away when they got a small majority was Nancy Pelosi. So Nancy felt she did not have the power to stay in office if that was there. I’m very comfortable in where we are. So I don’t have any fear in that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: You don’t regret any of the concessions you made?
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: The only concession I made was taking it from 5 to 1 where it’s been around for 100 years.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about some of the makeup of your caucus.
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: Yes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: According to CBS records, 70% of the House GOP members denied the results of the 2020 election. You’ve put many of them on very key committees, intelligence, homeland security, oversight. Why are you elevating people who are denying reality like that?
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: Well, if you look to the Democrats, their ranking member, Raskin, had the same thing, denied Trump or Bush was in there. Bennie Thompson, who was–
MARGARET BRENNAN: Did you see those numbers we just put up there? 70%.
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: Did you also be fair and equal and where you looked at- Raskin did the same thing. Bennie Thompson, who’s a ranking member and was the chair. These individuals were chair in the Democratic Party.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m asking you as leader, Kevin McCarthy’s house, why you made these choices? These were your choices.
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: Yeah they’re my choices, but they’re the conference choices. But I’m also asking you, when you look to see just Republicans, Democrats have done the same thing. So maybe it’s not denying. Maybe it’s the only opportunity they have to have a question about what went on during the election. So if you want to hold Republicans to that equation, why don’t you also hold Democrats? Why don’t you hold Jamie Raskin? Why don’t you hold Bennie Thompson, when Democrats had appointed them to be chair? I never once heard you ask Nancy Pelosi or any Democrat that question when they were in power in the majority, when they questioned–
MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re talking about things going back to 2000, which was the time when I didn’t have this show back then, which is why I’m asking you now about your leadership–
SPEAKER MCCARTHY: No, but they were- they were in power last Congress.
