MSNBC host Joe Scarborough said Tuesday that Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley “should be under investigation,” if not “in jail,” for his role in “inciting” the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol.
While discussing the confirmation hearing of Judge Merrick Garland in his broadcast of “Morning Joe,” Scarborough went after Hawley for asking Garland about his views on crime and the police. (RELATED: Josh Hawley ‘Just May Well Be The Dumbest Man In America,’ Says Joe Scarborough After Senator Loses Book Deal)
“It was a bit jarring to see Josh Hawley actually asking questions to anybody about what a crime is and what a crime is not when, I mean, he was guilty of inciting sedition against the United States government. And, he should be, if not in jail, he should certainly be under investigation,” Scarborough began.
The Capitol was stormed by supporters of former President Donald Trump after he held a rally calling on them to demand that Congress overturn the results of the Electoral College. Leading up to the events at the Capitol, Hawley was one of the more outspoken members of Congress who planned to object to the certification of the Electoral College votes.
“I think if I were Josh Hawley, I would be a little more careful with the questions that I asked, especially since he … helped inspire the insurrection against the United States of America, the terrorist attacks against the United States Capitol,” Scarborough continued. “Josh Hawley inspiring those people, urging those people on, raised fist in the air, and with his words and with his votes to go into the United States Capitol and to terrorize members of the House and the Senate.”
Hawley was seen in one photo from the day of the riot with a raised fist, gesturing towards a crowd of Trump supporters, which many believe showed solidarity with the rioters.
Scarborough went on to say that Hawley was responsible for the chants of “hang Mike Pence” and the “hunting down” of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He then referenced the Republican Party saying that he, as a “small government conservative,” doesn’t have a party because “the Republican Party is not what it used to be.”
“We cannot act as if it’s normal that Josh Hawley is sitting there asking the next attorney general of the United States of America questions about law, questions about violence against government institutions, when Mitch McConnell, then the majority leader, begged Josh Hawley to not try to toss out millions and millions of votes on January the 6th with his vote. To not challenge the votes because of the bad things that would happen,” he continued.
“And he wouldn’t listen to Mitch McConnell. He wouldn’t listen to anybody. And he did everything with his words and actions to inspire that terrorist attack on the United States of America, and he’s sitting there asking questions about law and disorder on the Judiciary Committee. It was really a stunning moment,” Scarborough concluded.