House minority leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) threatened telecommunications companies over the Jan. 6 Committee’s request for telecom companies, asking them to retain phone records involving the Trump White House on January 6th. In total, the committee issued orders to 35 social media and communications companies to preserve records. That has apparently unnerved McCarthy, and he has previously admitted to speaking with then-President Donald Trump by phone on January 6.
The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell reported on Twitter that McCarthy threatened the aforementioned companies, saying that a “Republican majority will not forget” if they comply with the Jan. 6 committee’s request for records.
New: House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy threatens telecom companies to not comply with Jan. 6 committee request for phone records, claiming it would violate federal law — “A Republican majority will not forget.”
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) August 31, 2021
McCarthy seems to have forgotten about the Patriot Act:
My statement on Democrats asking companies to violate federal law: pic.twitter.com/XELEVNbx65
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) August 31, 2021
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McCarthy seems a bit stressed out over the letters.
“The Select Committee today sent letters to 35 private-sector entities, including telecommunications, email, and social media companies, instructing them to preserve records which may be relevant to the Select Committee’s investigation,” a select committee spokesperson said in a statement Monday, NPR reports. “The Select Committee is at this point gathering facts, not alleging wrongdoing by any individual.”
CNN reported last week that it’s not clear which members’ records the committee is focused on, but McCarthy’s name, among others, was thrown in there as one of the Republicans that spoke with former President Donald Trump on the day of the riot.
“While it remains unclear which members’ records the committee is interested in, several Republican lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, have acknowledged speaking to then-President Donald Trump by phone on January 6,” the outlet reported. “Democrats have also accused some of their GOP colleagues of interacting with individuals who stormed the US Capitol prior to the attack.”
McCarthy, the House minority leader, is literally threatening companies if they comply with Congress. That definitely doesn’t make him look innocent. McCarthy is like that kid at the store that’s caught shoplifting, so he tells the police that they shouldn’t look in his backpack. And after that, of course, they’ll focus on the kid’s backpack. What I’m saying here is that McCarthy is very bad at this, and appears to be guilty of something.
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery