McCarthy defends 1/6 audio, House GOP backs ‘next speaker’

By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has assured colleagues he never asked then-President Donald Trump to resign over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol. In a meeting Wednesday, McCarthy defended his private conversations around the siege, which have jeopardized his leadership. That’s according to two Republicans in the room for the private meeting who were granted anonymity to discuss it. They say McCarthy, who is in line to become House speaker if Republicans win control in the fall midterm election, received a standing ovation. But McCarthy was challenged by two hard-right lawmakers — Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene — who said they felt singled out by McCarthy’s reported criticism.