Source: Politics<\/p>\n
As Donald Trump publicly second-guesses Kevin McCarthy over the Jan. 6 hearings, House Republicans once again risk getting caught between their conference leader and the former president.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s criticism of McCarthy comes nearly a year after the minority leader yanked three picks for the Capitol riot committee in response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi\u2019s veto of two others. While McCarthy didn\u2019t run that move by his conference, House Republicans largely accepted it \u2014 some of his allies even pushed it \u2014 despite private predictions that Trump might come to dislike the panel\u2019s lack of friendly voices.<\/p>\n
Now the mercurial former president\u2019s dissatisfaction is spilling into view as Trump watches hearings that home in on his election subversion and his role in the attack with no friendly Republicans to combat or distract from the select panel\u2019s presentation. Behind closed doors, some GOP lawmakers view Trump\u2019s pique over their boycott of the committee as a sign that the Jan. 6 hearings are breaking through with the public. But McCarthy disagrees on both fronts.<\/p>\n
\u201cPelosi got to pick and choose,\u201d McCarthy told reporters Wednesday, adding that there would be “no different outcome” had he seated some of his members on the select panel. Noting that he\u2019s recently spoken to Trump about the matter, McCarthy replied an emphatic \u201cno\u201d when asked if the former president’s regrets indicate the Jan. 6 hearings are proving effective.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s frustration with McCarthy is also playing out in a refusal to endorse the Californian for speaker under next year\u2019s likely House GOP majority \u2014 despite reports that he’s privately referred<\/a> to McCarthy as \u201cSpeaker.” And some Republicans on the Hill have hinted at lingering tension between the two after leaked April audio showed McCarthy suggesting he might ask Trump to resign after Jan. 6. All of which puts Republican lawmakers in an uncomfortable position, again distracted by internal warring. <\/p>\n But some are openly defending McCarthy\u2019s handling of the Jan. 6 hearings.<\/p>\n \u201cKevin made the only decision he could. What are we going to do? Allow them to just functionally silence entire constituencies?\u201d said Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), one of the members McCarthy originally tapped for the panel. \u201cWe don’t get good hands all the time in the minority.\u201d<\/p>\n