Kinzinger Says GOP Gaslighting on Capitol Riot is Something “Out of North Korea”

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Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 02:51 pm

Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) criticized Republicans who have attempted to rewrite the history of the January 6 storming of the United States Capitol, likening the gaslighting of the event to something “out of North Korea.”

“When I saw my colleagues speak, you know, it feels like it’s in a 1984 — something you see out of North Korea, where it’s like ‘we’re just going to state whatever we want the reality to be,” Kinzinger told co-host Sunny Hostin, who asked him for his reaction to bodycam footage showing rioters attacking Capitol Police officer Michael Fanone.

“I was there on Jan. 6. This was a real insurrection. This was an insurrection of people that thought they were doing Trump’s bidding at the behest of Trump. Not just on that day but in the days leading up to that, with the narrative of a stolen election,” he added.

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Kinzinger called on members of his party to be accountable for the insurrection.

“Jan. 6 was real and as a party, we have to take ownership of that, recognize what led to that, so that we don’t do that again. This isn’t 10 years ago, this was four months ago. So the idea of ‘oh let’s just move on,’ I agree let’s move on after we take a full accounting of how we got here and how never to get to this position again,” he said.

“This was a real insurrection.”

Rep. Kinzinger on Rep. Clyde comparing mob storming the Capitol to “normal tourist visit”: “The idea of ‘let’s just move on,’ I agree — let’s move on after we take a full accounting of how we got here and how never to get to this position again.” pic.twitter.com/rdBqrn1mas

— The View (@TheView) May 14, 2021

Kinzinger’s comments came the morning after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he was open to meeting Fanone after Fanone criticized Republicans for downplaying the seriousness of the event.

“I would like to meet with him,” McCarthy said at a Police Week event at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington.