GOP Congressman Who Investigated Benghazi Calls Trump Inciting Riot 'A Misstep'
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A Republican congressman who spent years investigating the 2012 Benghazi raid, during which four Americans died, said Monday that Democrats were “overplaying” the five deaths that resulted from last week’s riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said during an appearance on Fox Business that President Donald Trump had made a “misstep” after host Maria Bartiromo asked him if an impeachment effort would have any real effect.
“Well, it’s probably similar to shutting off the Twitter feed of somebody after his presidency is essentially over,” Issa said. “It’s kicking him when he’s down. It’s getting rid of 88 million people who follow and listen to the president.”
Issa then suggested Democrats were just playing politics.
“There’s no question at all that, I think, the liberals saw an opportunity, a misstep by the president, that they’re going to overplay, and they’re overplaying it as we speak,” he said. “They’re overplaying a lot of things, including the death of these people on Capitol Hill.”
Many Republicans have attempted to paint Black Lives Matter protests against police violence and racial injustice as violent, dangerous gatherings — an argument Issa seemed to repeat when talking about the attack on the Capitol.
“It was a terrible event, terrible things, people need to be punished, but of course they’re trying to use it to imply that there’s only one side that has violence and completely ignoring all of last year and the unchecked violence from the left,” he said.
You can see the exchange below.
"They're overplaying a lot of things, including the deaths of these people on Capitol Hill" -- Rep. Darrell Issa, who supported endless investigations into Benghazi (ht @KailiJoy) pic.twitter.com/z1adqYpN2n
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 11, 2021
Many Twitter users noted that Issa and other Republicans conducted numerous investigations into the Benghazi raid, none of which produced evidence of wrongdoing by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Darrell Issa literally led the Benghazi investigations and bragged about achieving his desired results: bringing down Hillary's poll numbers.
4 people died in Benghazi and Hillary didn't tell the terrorists to murder them.
That's the difference, Darrell, you fucking jagoff. https://t.co/CWFUwdkt2E— Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) January 11, 2021
Republicans are literally with a straight face going to insist that the security breach of a diplomatic compound in Libya was worthy of far more scrutiny than taking the US Capitol. https://t.co/BXbXsDstE7
— Schooley (@Rschooley) January 11, 2021
So yes every Member who pushed for YEARS of Benghazi investigations should commit to at least as much investigatory time for the attack on the Congress, which was of course far more grave.
Should we expect Trump to match HRC's 9 hours of testimony under oath? https://t.co/e6LLY5EJmD— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) January 11, 2021
Others just couldn’t seem to believe the politician was downplaying the historical riots.
So @DarrellIssa is cool with Trump inciting an insurrection. https://t.co/uVozxJP6tZ
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) January 11, 2021
Forget about those deaths. And ignore the legislators from both parties who were running for cover in fear for their lives. https://t.co/o3DZK7No9r
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) January 11, 2021
I don't even know which prize this wins. But it's unbelievable. Almost. https://t.co/QSJxCpUAwL
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) January 11, 2021
It’s remarkable that they won’t even *pretend* to be mad about the police death and beatings. https://t.co/ZQPNVr45hM
— Brian Murphy (@Burrite) January 11, 2021
Banning Trump from Twitter and impeaching Trump is “kicking him when he’s down” according to my former colleague Darrell Issa.
The GOP is not salvageable. https://t.co/Ple4S84fOn— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) January 11, 2021
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.