House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) won’t be talking to the committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot if he has his way. McCarthy rejected a request to voluntarily comply with the committee’s request for testimony in a statement Wednesday, writing “[The committee] wants to interview me about public statements that have been shared with the world, and private conversations not remotely related to the violence that unfolded at the Capitol. I have nothing else to add… It is with neither regret nor satisfaction that I have concluded to not participate with this select committee’s abuse of power that stains this institution today and will harm it going forward.” Echoing former President Donald Trump, McCarthy added that the committee was “not conducting a legitimate investigation.” McCarthy has provided the committee with thousands of documents—including dramatic texts between himself and Fox News’ star pundits—and had initially agreed to testify but changed his mind the day before he was originally slated to appear.
