Jun 12, 2022 - Politics & Policy

GOP governor says Trump “politically, morally responsible” for Jan. 6

Fadel Allassan

Former President Trump is “politically, morally responsible” for the Jan. 6 insurrection, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Why it matters: Hutchinson, who's been among the few elected Republicans to repeatedly criticize Trump, said his party needs to do some “soul-searching” more than a year on after the deadly attack.

The governor said he doesn't think the former president bears criminal responsibility.

What he's saying: “Republicans need to do a lot of soul-searching as to what is the right thing here and what is the right thing for our democracy in the future and not simply adhere to the basic instincts of some of our base,” he said.

The backdrop: The Jan. 6 committee hearing, which held its first hearing during prime time last week, is seeking to prove Trump's culpability for the attack by tying it to a plan to overturn the 2020 election and prevent the transition of power to then-President-elect Biden.

Go deeper: 3 former DOJ officials to testify in the next Jan. 6 hearing

Add Axios on Google

GOP governor says Trump “politically, morally responsible” for Jan. 6

What to read next