Anniversary of Jan. 6 Capitol riot looms over McCarthy’s struggle for House speaker
Community faith leaders gather for a prayer vigil on the second anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2023 in Washington, DC. Speakers called for an end to Christian nationalism and denounced political violence.
Nathan Howard | Getty Images
Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy’s protracted struggle for the House speaker’s gavel has now overlapped with the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The insurrection by a violent mob of then-President Donald Trump’s supporters forced lawmakers in the House and Senate to flee their chambers, impeding the transfer of power from Trump to now-President Joe Biden.
McCarthy had initially blamed Trump for the attack, saying the president “bears responsibility” even as he opposed Democrats’ efforts to impeach Trump for a second time. But McCarthy soon walked back that criticism, and that same month visited Trump and posed with him for a smiling photo.
A man dressed as Uncle Sam, who’s a regular attendee of events held by former President Donald Trump, stops to pray near community faith leaders during a vigil on the second anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Nathan Howard | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Trump has in recent days urged the faction of House Republican defectors to back McCarthy for speaker. But although the group of far-right lawmakers are highly supportive of Trump — GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz even voted for Trump for House speaker in two of McCarthy’s failed votes — they have not acquiesced to his demand.
Some Democrats are linking the current Capitol chaos to the radicalism that led to the 2021 riot.
“Unfortunately, the utter pandemonium wrought by House Republicans this week is just one more example of how the extreme fringe of their party, led by election deniers, is pulling them further into chaos and making it impossible for them to govern,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement Friday morning.
Biden is set to attend a ceremony at the White House at 2 p.m. ET marking the two-year anniversary of the insurrection. He will be joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
— Kevin Breuninger