McCarthy on Biden pardons: 'It raises doubt on what they did'

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) criticized President Biden's decision to pardon Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) and other members of the House panel that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, saying the move "raises doubt on what they did."

During a "Today Show" interview on Monday morning, McCarthy said he did not think the pardons were a good move for Biden.

"I don't think he should have done that," he said. "I mean, this whole idea is that he's fearful of something that President Trump may do, that he hasn't done. To me, it raises doubt upon what they did."

McCarthy mentioned that Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who was House Speaker when the Jan. 6 panel was formed, did not allow two Republican picks — Reps. Jim Jordan (Ohio) and Jim Banks (Ind.) — to join the Jan. 6 select committee.

In response, McCarthy, then the House minority leader, did not participate in the select committee and yanked all of his GOP picks — Reps. Jim Banks (Ind.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Rodney Davis (Ill.), Kelly Armstrong (N.D.) and Troy Nehls (Texas) — in protest of her decision.

"I was the Republican leader at the time, it was the first time, then Speaker Nancy Pelosi would not allow me to name the Republicans to the committee, so now it raises more doubt," McCarthy said. "And then when the committee ended, we took the majority, they wouldn't turn over all the documents to us."

McCarthy also accused President Biden of going after Trump upon his arrival to the White House.

"He was president and he never went out after Hillary Clinton or anybody else," he said. "Joe Biden came in and went after President Trump. So I don't know. It's always interesting to me that someone takes an action, fearful that someone else will do something only because you have done that. That's what shows more to me than anything else."

"President Trump is coming in," he continued. "He's not worried about that. He's worried about getting this economy working again, securing a border, making America safe."

Trump is set to be sworn in on Monday and has plans to sign a handful of executive orders right after the ceremony.

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