Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticized CNN in a contentious conversation with a CNN reporter, calling out the network’s bias in reporting on former President Donald Trump and their use of former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
McCarthy made his remarks about the charges against former President Trump during a Monday appearance when a reporter confronted him about it.
The reporter enquired as to McCarthy’s willingness to defend Trump, who is charged with lying to investigators, conspiring against the government, and obstructing the administration of justice, as well as the House’s reaction to these charges.
Instead, McCarthy focused on CNN, criticizing the network’s choice to hire former federal law enforcement officers Andrew McCabe and James Clapper. Clapper is a former FBI agent turned TV news analyst who Trump frequently criticizes.
McCarthy said to several reporters present at the Capitol on Monday, “The idea of equal justice is not playing out here.” McCarthy pointed to CNN journalist Lauren Fox and added, “You’re with CNN right?”
The speaker said, “Let’s take Andrew McCabe for example,” but Fox cut him off, asserting, “But this is a different set of circumstances,” and then pressed McCarthy to say whether he was willing to defend the former president.
“Are you prepared to defend your network, CNN,” McCarthy shot back. “You can’t put words in my mouth even though your network hired Andrew McCabe who was fired from the FBI for leaking classified documents.”
McCarthy responded, “You keep putting [McCabe] on to pass judgment on President Trump.” Former FBI Deputy Director McCabe was let go for disclosing sensitive information. He started contributing to CNN after leaving the FBI.
McCarthy hit back, saying, “My concern as a policymaker is that when you weaponize government and now you’re weaponizing networks, that is wrong.”
Former FBI agent McCabe, who now works for CNN as a commentator, frequently criticizes Trump.
Following the public disclosure of the federal indictment on Friday, McCabe called the alleged activities of the former president “a spy’s dream.”
McCarthy underlined the value of equal justice and his dedication to upholding fairness in the American legal system in his concluding remarks. We will do all in our power to ensure that the American judicial system puts its blinders back on and treats people fairly, he vowed.
WATCH:
Look how she invokes alinsky s rules for radicals by cutting him off mid sentence.
— Jimmy Digs Freedom 🇺🇸🦅 (@MorisetteJimmy) June 12, 2023
Trump’s indictment has been denounced as political by McCarthy and other House Republicans, who also assert that the Justice Department under President Biden is treating Trump unfairly.
Federal prosecutors have charged the former president with 37 charges, the majority of which relate to possible violations of the Espionage Act, after alleging that Trump put the nation’s security at risk by handling sensitive documents after he was out of office.
Trump is scheduled to be arraigned today on the accusations brought against him by leftist Democrats.
Last Thursday, Trump was indicted by Democrat Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ).
Judge Aileen Cannon of the U.S. District Court, who was appointed by Trump, was given the politically driven case.
In a previous case, Cannon issued several pro-Trump judgments that infuriated those on the left.
They are now demanding that she be dropped from the Trump lawsuit.
“Trump-appointed US district court judge Aileen Cannon was listed on the summons sent to Trump yesterday, per ppl familiar — indicating she may be the presiding judge.
“Cannon granted Trump a special master during the investigation last year.
“Confirming ABC News.” according to Guardian reporter Hugo Lowell.
MSNBC commentator Joyce Alene sought to soothe the agitated Left by stating that Garland would try to remove Cannon.
According to Alene:
“I used to be an appellate chief in the 11th Circuit (where Florida is) and I litigated a few appeals where we asked the court of appeals to order a judge to recuse.
“Altho a judge’s behavior in court generally doesn’t form the basis for recusal, the 11th Circuit has ordered ‘reassignment’ where a judge leans so heavily for a defendant they call their objectivity in the eyes of the public into question.
“This is persuasive authority that Judge Cannon must step aside if the case falls to her as a permanent assignment.
“Her court & certainly the 11th won’t tolerate the damage it would do to their credibility if she failed to voluntarily recuse.”
ABC News reported:
The summons sent to former President Donald Trump and his legal team late Thursday indicates that U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon will be assigned to oversee his case, at least initially, according to sources briefed on the matter.
Cannon’s apparent assignment would add yet another unprecedented wrinkle to a case involving the first federal charges against a former president: Trump appointed Cannon to the federal bench in 2020, meaning that, if Trump is ultimately convicted, she would be responsible for determining the sentence – which may include prison time – for the man who elevated her to the role.
A federal grand jury voted to indict Trump on at least seven federal charges late Thursday as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The indictment comes after more than 100 documents with classified markings were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in August 2022.
Several leaks to the media about cases involving Trump have drawn criticism from a legal expert, who claimed they “further reinforce” Republican assertions that the investigations are politically motivated.
