McConnell and McCarthy Defend Fox News Host Tucker Carlson’s Coverage of Jan. 6 Insurrection at U.S. Capitol

At a GOP leadership news conference, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) addressed the controversy surrounding Fox News host Tucker Carlson and his coverage of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

McConnell expressed his support for the letter sent to the U.S. Capitol Police force by Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger, who denounced Carlson for spreading “offensive and misleading conclusions” about the insurrection, including a “disturbing accusation” that Officer Brian Sicknick’s death had nothing to do with the riot.

McCarthy, meanwhile, defended his decision to give Carlson surveillance footage from the Capitol on Jan. 6. He told reporters outside of the Speaker’s office that he wanted to provide transparency to everyone so they could make their own conclusions about what happened that day. He said he did not regret exclusively sharing thousands of hours of security footage with Carlson, a prominent Jan. 6 skeptic.

The Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol left five people dead and dozens of police officers injured. The FBI is still investigating the incident and has arrested hundreds of people in connection with the riot.

The controversy surrounding Carlson’s coverage of the Jan. 6 insurrection has sparked bipartisan backlash, with many accusing him of whitewashing the violent riot as a mostly peaceful tourist visit. Despite the criticism, McCarthy and McConnell have both expressed their support for Carlson’s right to free speech.