Kevin McCarthy to be Asked to Testify by Jan. 6 Committee After Tapes Leak

The House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack will once again ask Kevin McCarthy to voluntarily answer questions after leaked audio revealed his concerns about the riot and members of his own party.

Bennie Thompson, chairman of the January 6 committee, said that the panel had been discussing whether to send out another request for the House minority leader to speak with them in the wake of the latest revelations reported by The New York Times.

On Tuesday, leaked audio revealed McCarthy discussing his fears that after the January 6 attack, several Trump-supporting lawmakers such as Florida rep. Matt Gaetz and Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks could incite violence against fellow lawmakers while pushing false claims the 2020 election was rigged.

"He's putting people in jeopardy," McCarthy said of Rep. Gaetz, on account of his rhetoric and criticism of Rep. Liz Cheney in the aftermath of January 6. "And he doesn't need to be doing this. We saw what people would do in the Capitol, you know, and these people came prepared with rope, with everything else."

Thompson told reporters on Tuesday that "in all probability" McCarthy would get another invitation in the wake of the "latest revelation that was reported on tape."

The audio footage arrived after it was revealed McCarthy told top Republicans on January 10, 2021, four days after the insurrection, that he would push for Trump to resign after the former president's supporters stormed the Capitol.

Two days prior, McCarthy also blamed Trump for "inciting people" to attack the Capitol and that the former president's conduct on January 6 was "atrocious and totally wrong" during a call with leading Republicans.

McCarthy has already refused to voluntarily assist with the House Select Committee after being asked to do so at the start of the year along with GOP congressman Jim Jordan and Scott Perry.

The panel has stopped short of taking the almost unprecedented move to subpoena McCarthy and the other lawmakers in order to force them to give evidence.

Thompson said the committee met on Tuesday to discuss the possible next steps regarding McCarthy and other House members.

"We will probably look at engaging some of the lawmakers by invitation at this point, and we'll go from there," Thompson said.

In a speech on the House floor one week after the Capitol attack, McCarthy said that Trump "bears responsibility" for the riot and that he should have "immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding."

McCarthy previously said he will not speak with the January 6 panel, saying he has "nothing else to add," to his previous public comments and accusing the House probe of carrying out an "abuse of power."

McCarthy has been contacted for comment.