House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) falsely claimed that Congress had no legal right to his phone records on 1/6.
Video:
Kevin McCarthy claims that Congress doesn't have the right to get his phone records, "Congress does not have the right to go after mine or your phone number records."
Congress definitely has the legal right to the phone records of a member of Congress. pic.twitter.com/7pAqNbiaIH
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— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) October 10, 2021
When McCarthy was asked about the 1/6 Committee getting his phone records, he said, “I have not heard anything but this is a select committee that is for the first time in history isn’t bipartisan and Nancy Pelosi, picks who can be on this committee and what they’re trying to do, they’re leaving out two main points, why were we so ill-prepared on January 6th and how do we make sure we will never be in this position again? It is purely politics. Congress does not have the right to go after mine or your phone number records. “
McCarthy was not telling the truth on multiple counts. There are Republicans on the 1/6 Committee, so it is bipartisan, and Congress has strong constitutional grounds thanks to the Supreme Court ruling that congressional subpoenas for Trump’s financial records were valid. The Supreme Court ruled in the Trump case that Congress has a right to obtain information for their investigations.
It is already publicly known that McCarthy talked to Trump on 1/6, but the House Minority Leader is trying to hide his conversations with Trump, as one suspects that they are damaging for McCarthy, Trump, and the Republican Party.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association