Congressman Confronts Chris Cuomo Over CNN Bias During Clash on Capitol Attack Investigation

CNN’s Chris Cuomo clashed with Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) after the congressman accused him and his network of bias during a debate on the January 6 select committee investigation.

DesJarlais appeared Wednesday on Cuomo Prime Time, where he faced questions about the police officers who testified about the attacks they endured during the storming of the U.S. Capitol. DesJarlais referred to the Capitol riot as an “unfortunate event,” but as he defended skepticism of the 2020 election, Cuomo moved to challenge the congressman about how efforts to overturn the election inspired the attack.

“When we talk about how we got there,” Cuomo said, “it didn’t help that people like you didn’t want to certify the results of the election without any proof of the same, right?”

DesJarlais retorted by drawing a comparison between his attempt to contest the 2020 election results to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chairman of January 6th House Select Committee, who raised objections to Ohio’s electoral vote during the 2004 presidential election. DesJarlais claimed Republicans are being “held to a different standard,” so Cuomo interjected “I don’t remember House Democrats standing up and saying ‘we refuse to certify this presidential election.'”

DesJarlais continued to defend questions about the constitutionality of voting processes during the 2020 election. As the congressman spoke of voters who’ve lost faith in the integrity of the process, Cuomo retorted “of course they’re not going to have faith in the process Congressman when you keep telling them there was fraud and there’s no proof ever presented…”

Cuomo continued to point out there’s no evidence of widespread fraud that would have changed the results of the election. DesJarlais proceeded to call out CNN, accusing the network of spending “the last four years talking about a Russia hoax.”

“First of all it is not a hoax,” Cuomo shot back. “Russia interfered with the election. Members of the Trump campaign took stupid meetings and asked for help they shouldn’t have. That is the definition of collusion. Was it criminal conspiracy? No.”

“I watch your show and I watch Fox,” DesJarlais said. “I blame the media for a lot of the divisiveness in this country. Because, it depends on which channel you watch, you’re going to get a different spin.”

“I accidentally watched a channel the other night. It was NewsNation,” he continued. “It is so refreshing to hear a news channel that doesn’t bias the viewers one way or the other. And we need more of that if we’re going to move forward as a country. Because what we had the last four years doesn’t work, what we have now doesn’t work.”

The CNN host shot back: “If you don’t think conversation like this is constructive, I don’t know how to help you.”

Watch above, via CNN.