McConnell breaks with RNC, calls Jan. 6 ‘violent insurrection’

Jordain Carney, The Hill via Nexstar Media Wire

Updated: Feb 9, 2022 / 05:30 AM CST

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 1: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a news conference after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill February 1, 2022 in Washington, DC. McConnell told reporters he disagrees with former president Donald Trump’s suggestion of potential pardons and shortened sentences for January 6 Capitol rioters. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

(The Hill) — Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell criticized the Republican National Committee for its censure of Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney and broke with their language on Jan. 6, calling it a “violent insurrection.”

“It was a violent insurrection with the purpose of trying to prevent peaceful transfer of power. …That’s what it was,” McConnell said.

The RNC sparked fierce backlash after it described Jan. 6, when a mob of former President Trump’s followers breached the building, as “legitimate political discourse” in a resolution censuring Kinzinger and Cheney.

RNC Ronna McDaniel appeared to try to clarify the resolution, saying in a statement that the two GOP lawmakers were involved in persecuting citizens “engaged in legitimate political discourse” but “that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol.” The last section was not in the RNC resolution.

McConnell said he had confidence in McDaniel but that it was the job traditionally of the RNC to support all Republicans and not “singling out” members.

“That’s not the job of the RNC,” he added about the censure resolution.