Kevin McCarthy criticized for weak attempts to rein in caucus members

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has faced a lot of backlash, especially when it comes to reining in the extremist, pro-Trump members of his own caucus. McCarthy once again came under fire for his evidently weak attempts to control the extremist members of his caucus.

In a piece for St. Louis Today, Kevin McDermott criticized McCarthy for his weak attempts to rein in Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and other radical pro-Trump members of his caucus. McDermott even cited the stark contrast between McCarthy and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has received widespread admiration for handling his country’s crisis.

“A new hero to many Americans today is a man whose name they may have trouble pronouncing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s bold stand against Russia’s invasion has shown many of us what courage in leaders looks like,” wrote McDermott.

“Meanwhile, one of our own leaders, top House Republican Kevin McCarthy, recently darted from TV cameras like a startled cat rather than publicly criticize a member of his caucus for speaking at a white nationalist gathering where a crowd of supposed Americans chanted its support for Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin.”

McDermott noted that while many Republican lawmakers fear getting attacked by former President Donald Trump and his base of supporters, he singled out McCarthy who seems to fear his own caucus. McDermott went on to describe McCarthy as a “coward” and Greene as “deranged” and a “lunatic.”

McCarthy has also received backlash from his fellow Republicans, such as Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who has been a very outspoken critic of members of his own party and most especially Trump following the insurrection.

Speaking on “The View,” Kinzinger pointed out that McCarthy, while being the House Republican Leader, now answers to people like Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Paul Gosar. Kinzinger, who serves on the congressional committee probing the insurrection as one of the two Republican members, cited McCarthy’s flip-flop in comments regarding who is responsible for inciting the riots.

Kinzinger noted McCarthy’s lack of leadership, noting that should McCarthy become the House Speaker, “his cell phone’s going to be ringing off the hook by Marjorie Taylor Greene.”