McCarthy Calls Riot Video A Tucker Carlson “Exclusive”

NBC News reports:

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Tuesday defended his decision to hand over tens of thousands of hours of security video from the Jan. 6 insurrection to Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

McCarthy told reporters that he was following the precedent of the House Jan. 6 committee in giving a news network early, exclusive access to video that he said he would later release more widely. “So he’ll have an exclusive, then I’ll give it out to the entire country,” McCarthy said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York is among the Democrats who have denounced McCarthy, saying his decision to share thousands of hours of Jan. 6 video “poses grave security risks” to lawmakers and Capitol staff members.

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Speaker McCarthy has avoided the press — and our questions about his release of Jan. 6 security footage — at least three times today. Moments ago, he ignored my questions about the matter. pic.twitter.com/fPUg5mNGo2

— Gabe Ferris (@GabeFerris) February 28, 2023

Speaker McCarthy asked by reporters why he gave the Jan. 6 tapes exclusively to Tucker Carlson:

“Have you ever had an exclusive? Because I see it on your networks all the time. So they have an exclusive then I’ll give it out to the entire country.”

— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) February 28, 2023