On Sunday, Home Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, accused Democrats this week of politicizing the January 6, 2021 assault in opposition to the U.S. Capitol. In response, critics on Twitter shortly resurfaced his remarks from a 12 months in the past, the place he himself blamed former President Donald Trump for the violent occasions of that day.

Simply over a 12 months in the past, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an obvious effort to disrupt the formal certification of President Joe Biden's Electoral School victory. The assault got here after the previous president for months claimed the elections outcomes had been "rigged" and advised supporters at a close-by rally that day to go to the legislative constructing and "battle like hell" to save lots of their nation.

Because the nation marked the one-year anniversary of the Capitol assault this week, Democrats—and a few Republicans—raised considerations about Trump's continued assertion that the 2020 election was "stolen" in favor of Biden. In an interview with Fox Information on Sunday, McCarthy complained concerning the Democrats' response to the anniversary of the assault.

"You've got watched what they did final week after we had been out—tried to politicize January 6," he complained. McCarthy claimed that "everyone believes what occurred on January 6 was flawed, past flawed."

Kevin McCarthy
Home Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy (R-California) accused Democrats of politicizing the violence of January 6, 2021 throughout a Sunday interview with Fox Information. On this photograph, McCarthy speaks throughout his weekly press convention on the U.S. Capitol on December 3, 2021 in Washington, D.C.Samuel Corum/Getty Photographs

Some GOP Home members have downplayed the violent assault, evaluating it to a vacationer go to. Others have recommended it was merely a protest or have unfold misinformation, claiming it was carried out by left-wing activists.

Critics on Twitter had been fast to resurface January 2021 remarks through which McCarthy condemned the assault after which blamed Trump for the violence.

"The violence, destruction and chaos we noticed earlier was unacceptable, undemocratic and un-American," the GOP Home chief mentioned in a speech within the rapid aftermath of the January 6 violence. "It was the saddest day I've ever had as serving as a member of this establishment."

Per week later, in a January 13 speech, McCarthy blamed Trump straight for the assault that had occurred.

"That does not imply the president is free from fault. The president bears duty for Wednesday's assault on Congress by mob rioters," he mentioned. "He ought to have instantly denounced the mob when he noticed what was unfolding. These details require rapid motion by President Trump, settle for his share of duty, quell the brewing unrest and guarantee President-elect Biden is ready to efficiently start his time period."

McCarthy mentioned Trump ought to face "censure" over the assault. Since then, the California Republican has patched up his relationship with the previous president, persevering with to assist him because the chief of the GOP.

Anti-Trump Republican Representatives Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois have been extremely vital of McCarthy for persevering with to assist Trump within the wake of the January 6 violence. Kinzinger has mentioned McCarthy is the important thing purpose the previous president stays related with the GOP.

"Kevin McCarthy is legitimately, singlehandedly the explanation that Donald Trump remains to be a drive within the get together," Kinzinger advised the Related Press final week. "That full-hearted embrace, I noticed firsthand in members, made them not simply scared to tackle Trump however in some instances additionally full-heartedly embrace him."

In late January 2021, McCarthy traveled to Trump's resort membership Mar-a-Lago in Florida to satisfy with him and patch up their relationship.

In Could, Cheney advised NBC Information that McCarthy's journey to Florida was "actually beautiful." She mentioned Trump is "not only a former president. He provoked an assault on the Capitol, an assault on our democracy. And so I can not perceive why you'd need to go rehabilitate him."

Newsweek reached out to McCarthy's spokesperson for remark.