Politics

Jim Acosta Mocks Trump As ‘Mussolini Of Mar-A-Lago,’ Claims GOP Fears Jan. 6 Commission

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Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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CNN’s Jim Acosta claimed Saturday that Republicans feared a potential Jan. 6 Commission, saying that the party’s leadership was running scared and referring to former President Donald Trump as “Mussolini of Mar-a-Lago.”

Acosta argued that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, both of whom were critical of Trump in the days after the Capitol riot, had both said they would not support the commission to investigate what had happened — and suggested that decision was being driven by fear of one key question. (RELATED: ‘We’re All Dealing With Post Trump Stress Disorder’: Jim Acosta Weighs In On Media Coverage After Trump)

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The question Acosta said Republicans did not want to answer was whether or not members of the party had been in contact with the rioters who ultimately breached the Capitol.

“See how they run,” Acosta said, showing a video of McCarthy ending a press conference after saying that he did not believe any House Republicans had been in contact with protesters in real time.

“Everybody have a nice day,” McCarthy said as reporters continued to press him.

“It’s as if the get-away car was parked just down the street,” Acosta continued, pivoting to address McConnell’s decision not to support the commission.

“You didn’t know he could move so fast, did you? Like a ninja. Now the bill to create a bipartisan 9/11-style commission may be doomed in the Senate,” Acosta added. “But McConnell also voted to acquit Trump. Not exactly a profile in courage. More like cowardice and calculation.”

Acosta went on to suggest that Republican leaders might have pivoted in deference to Trump in the hopes that he would help them retake control of Congress.

“Republican leaders have made the decision to put next year’s mid-term election ahead of the good of the country and that Trump is the key to winning back control of Congress,” he claimed. “You remember the Mussolini of Mar-a-Lago writing in his blog, which has become his online diary … Trump demanded Republican leaders shut down this commission, saying, ‘Hopefully Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy are listening.’ Are they listening? Like he pressed his button for another Diet Coke.”