There’s a way to be involved in government that doesn’t automatically entail accepting those like Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) who post imagery depicting the fictional murder of their political opponents, but Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — the current House Minority Leader — isn’t interested in that sort of reasonable alternative. Instead, he’s sticking by Gosar and others, like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), who seem most interested in using their positions of power to spread nonsense. Earlier this year — among many other examples — Greene appeared to suggest the use of gun violence against health workers going door-to-door with vaccine-related information.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Kevin McCarthy: "People like Marjorie Taylor Greene, with crazy tweets and crazy things she says, has a hold on the base and can threaten his power. So, he's hugging it …. He's hugging the skunk, you're gonna get sprayed, but that's his decision." @MSNBC
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) November 29, 2021
During an appearance on MSNBC this week, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) went after McCarthy for his acceptance of right-wing extremism. Kinzinger explained McCarthy’s antics as a way for him to establish a line to the position of Speaker of the House in the event that Republicans win control of the chamber. House Speakers have to be voted in by members. As Kinzinger put it:
‘There is no doubt that people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, with crazy tweets and crazy things she says, [have] a hold on the base and can threaten his power. So he’s hugging it — as I said in a tweet, he’s hugging the skunk. You’re going to get sprayed. But that’s his decision.’
We need to know who organized & paid for the rallies that led to the violent attack on @uscapitol, as well as what communication the organizers had with the WH & Congress. The subpoenas issued by @January6thCmte this week will help us get answers for the American people.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) November 23, 2021
Kinzinger added as follows:
‘There are people that are very upset with [McCarthy]. And he is only responding to the noisiest people. And I don’t understand it — I mean, Kevin McCarthy is smart. Kevin McCarthy knows that if he does happen to win [the Speakership] by catering to this — what used to be the exotic element of our party; now it’s kind of the mainstream element a little bit — that they’re going to not necessarily support him, or he’s going to have to continue to beg them for their support. But I guess if it’s so important for him to win that [Speaker] vote in a year, that he’ll pay any price.’
Check out Kinzinger’s remarks below:
Kinzinger has shared criticism for other prominent Republicans as well. After Boebert mockingly compared Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) — who is Muslim and was born in Somalia — to a suicide bomber, Kinzinger characterized Boebert as “TRASH.”
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I’m thankful for my wife, our growing family, and for where I am today. Looking back on the year, I’m grateful to be at peace with my choices, to know my mission, and to stand for truth. Thank you to all who serve and protect this great nation.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) November 25, 2021
