MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
In just about every major scandal involving this country's top political leaders in recent decades, one big question looms over it all. What did the top people know, and when did they know it? That question came back in a new and disturbing way this past week when prominent Republicans were forced to explain things they'd apparently said or wrote privately in the days after the January 6 mob attack on the Capitol which directly contradict their public statements.
In recordings released by The New York Times, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy claimed that President Trump accepted responsibility for the attack on the Capitol, contradicting previous public denials by both men. And in another tape, McCarthy expressed concern that far-right members of Congress would incite violence against other lawmakers. When House Republicans met on Wednesday, McCarthy attempted to explain himself, but he also tried to shift the focus to winning back the House in November, which is a top priority for him, as he hopes to become speaker.
