Herrera Beutler said McCarthy told him he spoke with Trump by phone during the attack, urging Trump to recall his supporters.
Initially, Trump blamed the left groups. “Kevin, these are not my people,” Trump told McCarthy, she said.
McCarthy replied, “Yeah, they just came through my windows and my staff are running for cover. Yeah, they’re yours. Call them,” Herrera Beutler said.
“Well, I guess these people are just more angry with the election and upset than you are,” Trump replied.
The MP previously spoke to a newspaper in her district about the phone call. But that did not gain attention until she released a statement on the matter Friday night following a CNN report.
Senators were clearly baffled by the development and considered allowing witnesses, a step they had hoped to avoid as it could delay the trial.
Spirits went up in flames and the Senate went on vacation.
At one point, Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, turned to Utah Senator Mitt Romney and could be heard saying “you blame” in a loud voice. Romney was one of the few Republicans to support the impeachment effort. Romney later joked that they were “discussing boxers versus panties.”
