Kinzinger Slams Kevin McCarthy Threat to Companies Over 1/6 Committee Request: ‘I Would Certainly Recommend He Never Go There Again’

Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R- IL) reacted on Sunday to fellow Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, threatening companies over the January 6 select committee’s request for records.

The committee, which Kinzinger and Liz Cheney sit on, is requesting communications for a number of Republican congressmembers from companies like Verizon, AT&T, Facebook, and Google.

In response, McCarthy sent out a veiled threat about how Republicans might retaliate against the companies complying if they take the House in the midterms. 11 Republicans — most of whom are the reported targets of the records requests — wrote letters to the companies threatening legal action.

CNN’s Dana Bash asked Kinzinger about McCarthy’s threat and if it amounts to obstruction.

“Obstruct, I don’t know, but it’s really bad politics, I think, to say the least,” he responded. “We as a committee, we have a right and we have the responsibility, and frankly we have the legal authority to go through the process of requesting these kinds of things. Right now all we’ve said is we want these records preserved.”

“To turn around and make ominous talk to these telecom companies that, you know, when we take over it’s going to be different or we’ll have payback, that’s just not frankly the Republican party I remember and the Republican party I have joined,” he added.

Questioned again on if it’s obstruction, Kinzinger said he doesn’t know for certain. He did add, regarding McCarthy’s threat, “I would certainly recommend he never go there again.”

You can watch above, via CNN.