Top GOP lawmaker won't condemn calling events of Jan. 6 'legitimate political discourse'

The censure of Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois has raised questions about "legitimate political discourse."

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, refused to condemn a censure resolution targeting two Republican colleagues, Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, which ​included a statement suggesting that the events of Jan. 6 were "legitimate political discourse​."

The RNC issued the formal censure for the lawmakers' roles on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"My understanding is [the statement] pertains to the legitimate protesters that I saw that day," McCaul told ABC "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday.

Raddatz pressed McCaul, noting that the "legitimate political discourse" line is still in the resolution, encompassing events that occurred throughout the entire day when some supporters of President Donald Trump assaulted the Capitol in an effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Although McCaul steered clear of condoning any acts of violence or criminality that eventually led to hundreds of arrests, he remained unwilling to denounce his party's resolution.