Christie: Republican senators ‘pushed lies’ to the mob
Former Gov. Chris Christie has released a video supporting U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's first comments blaming President Donald Trump for the attack on the Capitol
Speaking to the Senate on Trump's final full day in office, McConnell said the "mob was fed lies” and the president and others “provoked” those intent on overturning Democrat Joe Biden’s election during a MAGA rally beforehand.
"They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like," McConnell said.
Christie, who supported impeaching Trump a second time, said on Twitter that the "other powerful people" were helping themselves at the expense of Trump.
"These senators put their own political futures and ambitions ahead of their country by knowingly pushing these lies about the election results. We have a right to expect more from US Senators," Christie wrote.
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, Ron Johnson, James Lankford and Steve Daines have said they believe there was fraud and supported rejecting the Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania, which would have had the effect of overturning the election in Trump's favor.
Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew voted to object to the Electoral College certification and joined fellow New Jersey Republican Chris Smith in not supporting impeachment. Smith did not object to the certification.
Republican candidate for governor Jack Ciattarelli, who criticized Trump before the 2016 election, congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration on Wednesday but did not make any comment about his Trump's discredited statements on the election.
The entire New Jersey Democratic congressional delegation strongly called for Trump's impeachment and removal from office following the riot. They also did not support Trump's belief there was fraud.
At the other end of the spectrum, GOP gubernatorial candidate Joseph Rudy Rullo posted video on his Facebook page of Trump leaving the White House for the last time as president in Marine One. Several hours before the Capitol riot, Rullo wrote that he blamed the "cowards of the Supreme Court" who would not hear the lawsuits brought before the court.
Hirsch Singh, another potential Republican candidate for governor, has been using his Facebook page to promote the theory that the Capitol attack was orchestrated by Antifa or leftist groups even though well-known Trump supporters and right-wing activists were seen on camera, sometimes in their own recordings, entering or ransacking the Capitol.
On Inauguration Day, Singh wished the new administration "success" and hoped it would follow Trump's agenda. Like Trump in his farewell speech, Singh did not mention Biden by name.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ