McCarthy tells FOX News report of 'shots fired' in Capitol building
House Minority Leader joins 'Bill Hemmer Reports' to react to pro-Trump unrest in Washington
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., condemned pro-Trump protesters who broke into the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday as Congress began to formally count the Electoral College votes in the 2020 presidential election.
"First of all, this is so un-American," McCarthy told "Bill Hemmer Reports". "I condemn any of this violence. I could not be more disappointed in the way our country looks at this very moment. People are getting hurt.
"Anyone involved in this, if you're hearing me, loud and clear, this is not the American way," added McCarthy, who told host Bill Hemmer he was removed to a safe location under the protection of U.S. Capitol Police.
Shortly before the joint session of Congress got underway, Vice President Mike Pence, the presiding officer of the Senate, declared he does not believe that he "unilaterally" has the ability to accept or reject electoral votes despite demands from the president.
"This is not protected by the First Amendment," McCarthy emphasized. "This must stop now. As a nation, we have to come together. This is so unacceptable, what I see happening at this very moment. We can disagree, but we don't take it to this level. We don't do what is happening right now."
McCarthy added that he heard on a police radio that shots had been fired inside the Capitol.
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"I'm with Capitol Police. I heard on the radio 'shots fired'," McCarthy said as Hemmer pressed for claification.
"I cannot thank the Capitol Police enough for the job that they have to do right now ..." the Minority Leader said. "Things that are happening that I probably shouldn't say right now. This is unacceptable. We can have differences of opinion. People can protest. You don't do what is happening right now. People are being hurt. People are being -- people are being hurt, there's been shots, this is unacceptable."
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