Trump news: Kevin McCarthy says ex-president accepted responsibility for Jan 6 in new audio

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McCarthy recorded saying Trump accepted ‘some responsibility’ for Jan 6 riot

A newly released audio recording from January 2021 features House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy telling Republican members that Donald Trump “bears responsibility for his words and actions” around the 6 January riot – and that the then-president told him “he does have some responsibility for what happened”.

Mr McCarthy yesterday denied a New York Times report that said he had considered urging Mr Trump to step down in the aftermath of the riot – but not long after his statement was put out, audio of that conversation was released, confirming that the report was accurate and that Mr McCarthy’s denial was false.

Liz Cheney’s office has denied leaking the earlier recording of a discussion between the congresswoman and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in which the two discussed whether Donald Trump should resign after the events of 6 January 2021.

On the recording, Mr McCarthy tells Ms Cheney – now a member of the 6 January committee – that he would suggest Mr Trump resign from office in the face of a looming impeachment.

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[22 April 2022 23:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Trump and McCarthy reportedly spoke after revelations congressman considered telling him to resign

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Donald Trump reportedly spoke on the phone after newly released audio recordings revealed that the California Republican told GOP leadership that then-President Trump should resign following the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol led by a mob of his supporters.

Alex Woodward reports.

[23 April 2022 00:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

How to sign up for The Independent’s US morning headlines newsletter

As the Biden administration scrambles to punish Russia for its assault on Ukraine, Congress confirms a new Supreme Court justice and the 6 January investigations steadily heat up, The Independent is launching a new US morning headlines newsletter to keep you in the know.

[23 April 2022 00:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Marjorie Taylor Greene forced to admit she called for Pelosi to get death penalty

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was left scrambling to avoid committing perjury on Friday after an attorney representing voters seeking to disqualify her from this year’s election ballot confronted her with video of past statements in which she accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of “treason” and suggested the California Democrat should be executed.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

[23 April 2022 01:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Report: Mark Meadows was registered to vote in three states at once

As North Carolina continues to investigate whether Mark Meadows committed voter fraud, a new report says the former Trump official was registered to vote in three states at the same time.

According to The Washington Post, Mr Meadows was simultaneously registered in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia for a period of about three weeks. Earlier this month, North Carolina removed him from its voter rolls, but Mr Meadows is still registered in South Carolina and Virginia, the Post reported.

Nathan Place reports.

[23 April 2022 02:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Trump boasts he told Nato members he wouldn’t protect them from Russiav

Former President Donald Trump says he made thinly-veiled threats to Nato leaders while he was president, reportedly saying the US would not defend them against Russia if they did not pay up.

According to the Washington Post, Mr Trump recalled the conversation during a Thursday appearance at a Heritage Foundation event in Florida.

“[Another world leader] said, ‘Does that mean that you won’t protect us in case – if we don’t pay, you won’t protect us from Russia’ – was the Soviet Union, but now Russia,” Mr Trump said. “I said, ‘That’s exactly what it means.”

Graig Graziosi reports.

[23 April 2022 03:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Texas GOP donor charged after repairman held at gunpoint over Trump voter fraud conspiracy theory

A conservative activist has been charged in connection to an alleged 2020 incident in which a repairman was held at gunpoint by a man searching for fraudulent mail in ballots that did not exist.

RawStory reports that Steven Hotze, 71, was indicted Wednesday by a Harris County grand jury and is facing one count of unlawful restraint and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Mr Hotze reportedly hired more than dozen private investigators to search for instances of voter fraud ahead of the 2020 election, according to court documents.

Graig Graziosi reports.

[23 April 2022 04:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Marjorie Taylor Greene lawyer claims Trump ‘executive privilege’ to block question

The attorney defending Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene against a lawsuit seeking to disqualify her from appearing on the 2022 midterm ballot for supporting the 6 January insurrection attempted to block her from answering a question about whether she discussed the invocation of martial law with former president Donald Trump by invoking “executive privilege”.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

[23 April 2022 05:30 · Oliver O'Connell]

Report: McCarthy privately suggested Twitter should ban more of his fellow Republicans

Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reportedly suggested Twitter and Facebook should suspend social media accounts that belong to his GOP colleagues who amplified baseless 2020 election claims that fuelled the violent attack on the US Capitol mounted by Donald Trump’s supporters.

Alex Woodward reports.

[23 April 2022 07:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

‘Don’t Say Gay’: DeSantis signs bill to dissolve Disney’s governing agreement

Days after it was introduced to Florida legislators, the state’s Republican Governor, Ron DeSantis, has signed a measure to dissolve the Walt Disney Company’s decades-old governing agreement with the state that has allowed the company to manage and tax its sprawling theme park and resort properties.

Alex Woodward reports on the fate of the Magic Kingdom.

[23 April 2022 09:00 · Oliver O'Connell]

Picture book celebrating infants, becomes latest book banned in Florida

A picture book called Everywhere Babies, which celebrates infants, is the latest book to be banned in Florida schools.

The Washington Post reports that the book was the target of a ban in a dozen school libraries in Walton County, Florida.

The district’s superintendent, Russel Hughes, told WJGH-TV that it was “necessary in this moment for me to make that decision and I did it for just welfare of all involved, including our constituents, our teachers, and our students.”

Graig Graziosi reports.