Former Staffer: Kevin McCarthy Didn’t Check in on Me After Jan. 6 Attack
‘HE DIDN’T ENGAGE’
Ryan O’Toole, a former staffer for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), told CNN on Thursday that his then-boss didn’t check in on him in the aftermath of the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol attack. O’Toole, who now works for Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), said that members of Congress were “fearful for their lives” after the Capitol was breached. At the same time, he said it caused “dismay” that some members, such as Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), were “cheering on” the rioters. “My recollection was that he didn’t engage with any of his staff,” O’Toole replied to anchor Jake Tapper’s question about McCarthy’s post-attack comments to staffers. “I didn’t get a chance to have any sort of debriefing. My understanding is none of McCarthy’s staff were able to connect with him regarding the day’s events or how to respond to them.” O’Toole, however, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) thanked the GOP floor team for its assistance.