WASHINGTON – Spotlighting a widening breach among Republicans, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Republican National Committee on Tuesday for censuring Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, and for suggesting that the Jan. 6 insurrection was "legitimate political discourse."
“It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next," McConnell told reporters. "That’s what it was."
Four days after the RNC voted to censure House members Cheney and Kinzinger for participating in the Jan. 6 investigation, McConnell said the party organization should not be "picking and choosing" among candidates: "We support all members of our party, regardless of their positions on some issues."
McConnell echoed other Republican lawmakers who said the censure needlessly divided the party ahead of a challenging set of elections shadowed on the Republican side by former President Donald Trump and his continued insistence on false claims about the 2020 election.
“I don’t think you can kick out of the party everybody you disagree with, or it’s going to be a minority party," said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.
More:GOP censures Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, calls Jan. 6 riot 'legitimate political discourse'
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