Representative Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.) on Tuesday claimed that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “bears responsibility” for the January 6 Capitol riot and accused the “drooling media” of being “too petrified” to question the Democratic leader about it.
“The mainstream media serves as Lame Duck Nancy Pelosi’s loyal stenographers,” Stefanik wrote in a tweet. “No questions allowed about Speaker Pelosi! All off limits.”
The mainstream media serves as Lame Duck Nancy Pelosi’s loyal stenographers.
No questions allowed about Speaker Pelosi! All off limits.
Speaker of the House clearly bears responsibility for not securing the US Capitol on Jan 6th – But the drooling media is too petrified to ask.
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) July 27, 2021
“Speaker of the House clearly bears responsibility for not securing the US Capitol on Jan 6th – But the drooling media is too petrified to ask,” she added.
The tweet came after the congresswoman made similar accusations during a press conference on Tuesday morning.
“The American people deserve to know the truth. That Nancy Pelosi bears responsibility, as speaker of the House, for the tragedy that occurred on January 6,” Stefanik said then.
She said the Capitol Police expressed concerns about security ahead of January 6, when a mob of former President Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol as Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.
“Rather than providing them with the support and resources they needed and they deserved, she prioritized her partisan, political optics over their safety,” Stefanik said.
Other Republican leaders, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, have made similar claims.
McCarthy said that nearly a month before the uprising “the leadership knew there was a problem.”
Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York called it “sick and cynical” for GOP lawmakers to place blame on Pelosi or any other Democrat for the riot that was incited by Trump, according to The Hill.
Stefanik’s comments came as the House select committee to investigate the Capitol riot began hearings on Tuesday.
In May, Senate Republicans blocked a bill to form an independent inquiry into the events of January 6. The Democrat-led House later voted to create the committee.
Representatives Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R., Ill.) are the only two Republicans on the January 6 committee after McCarthy withdrew his appointments in response to Pelosi’s decision to block two of his picks — Representatives Jim Banks (R., Ind.) and Jim Jordan (R., Ohio).
McCarthy (Calif.) mocked Cheney and Kinzinger on Monday, calling them “Pelosi Republicans” after the Democratic House Speaker appointed the pair to serve on a committee.
Pelosi invited Kinzinger to join the panel on Sunday after having previously chosen Cheney as one of her designated picks for the committee.
Both Republicans have been vocal critics of Trump; Cheney’s outspoken criticism ultimately lead to her being ousted from her role as House GOP conference chair. She was replaced by Stefanik, who objected to Joe Biden’s victory on January 6.
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