A Republican lawmaker was reduced to incoherent rambling on live television Wednesday when a frustrated CNN host slapped down his claim about former President Donald Trump's position on Jan. 6, 2021.
Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA) grew increasingly defensive as anchor Boris Sanchez quizzed the Republican, who helped Capitol police and later condemned the violence, about Trump's promise to pardon convicted rioters.
"Not people who would hurt police officers," Meuser said of Trump's potential pardons. "[Only] those who were part who got caught up in the riot."
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Sanchez looked stunned as he reminded Meuser, "He's called them political prisoners."
Meuser again tried to make a distinction between violent protesters and those he claimed had just "wandered into the Capitol." Sanchez' jaw literally dropped.
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"I'm not sure there were a whole lot randomly wandering into the halls of Congress," Sanchez said. "I have to disagree with your characterization."
Meuser doubled down on this claim that asserting that Trump, in private conversations, told him he wanted pardons only for those not convicted of violent crimes.
This flies in the face of an NBC report from April that notes Trump said he'd "absolutely" consider pardoning every Jan. 6 rioter — a comment quickly walked back by his campaign.
"You've heard him make that distinction?" Sanchez asked. "Because I have not... the president, former president is talking about pardoning the same people that attacked you and your colleagues!"
Meuser tried to shift the conversation to President Joe Biden, but by this time Sanchez had lost his patience.
"What does this have to do with Joe Biden?" Sanchez broke in. "Let's talk about Donald Trump talking about pardoning people tried to defend other folks against."
Sanchez visibly rolled his eyes as Meuser tried to argue Vice President Kamala Harris paid the bail of people accused of violent crimes — likely referring to a debunked claim linked to her social media post after the death of George Floyd — then cut him off.
"That in no way, shape or form answers the question about Donald Trump talking pardoning the very people you describe as violent," Sanchez snapped. "And the very ugly day, as you described it, that you experienced at the Capitol trying to help police officers."
The conversation ended with a hostile exchange in which Sanchez says, "Nobody wants people rioting at the Capitol, least of all, someone like you that was defending it."
"Or on the streets of Philadelphia," mutters Meuser.
For this comment, Sanchez had no words.
