(Video: Fox News)
When the establishment side of the Republican Party talks about a big tent, more often than not they are treating the base as a fringe element set off to the side as they position themselves further toward the middle where centrist Democrats used to reside.
Outgoing Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) appeared to be doing exactly that when he joined Fox News host Bret Baier on “Fox News Sunday” to discuss the “important review” of the January 6 committee. As he reminded the host that he “always said we need to do this,” Hutchinson tried to blame former President Donald Trump as “politically [and] morally responsible” for the breach of the Capitol while leaving the door open for “criminal liability” as well.
“The whole premise of the hearing is that President Trump is criminally responsible,” the governor said before referencing former Attorney General Bill Barr who “has said, ‘I think that is a heavy lift.'”
Seeking a foothold between the Democrats and Trump supporters, he added that he did not “see the factual basis” for criminal charges but that he “would agree that [Trump] is politically, morally responsible for much of what has happened, but in terms of criminal liability, I think the committee has a long way to go before they could establish that.”
Hutchinson, who has been term-limited in his position as governor of Arkansas is serving out the last year of his administration and has not shied away from possible future political aspirations. During an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” in May he suggested he is considering a run for the presidency in 2024.
(Video: CNN)
“You’ve got to get through, of course, this year. But that’s an option that’s on the table,” he stated before going on to add when it comes to Trump, “I’ve made it clear: I think we ought to have a different direction in the future. I think he did a lot of good things for our country, but we need to go a different direction.”
Hutchinson reiterated that stance with Baier noting, “I hope that the future of the Republican Party is different than former President Trump’s leadership. I hope we move in a different direction. I believe that what happened on January 6 is a lot at his feet. It was wrong for our country and for him to continue to push that theory I agree is the wrong direction for the Republican Party.”
Arkansas’ GOP governor regrets ban on mask mandates; DeSantis stands in breach for parents’ rights https://t.co/DlyVnrqyxJ pic.twitter.com/G3DkqRjOF3
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) August 5, 2021
The governor has waffled in the past when political pressure has grown too severe. After signing into law a ban on mask mandates in his state, he went on to say, “Yes, in hindsight, I wish that it had not become law,” demonstrating that his objective as a politician is to leave the door wide open to change his view as polling numbers dictate.
“I think there’s many Republicans that are looking for an offramp, new opportunities to find leadership in the future. Obviously what President Trump – there’s a lot of things that he did that were very good that the base and I agree with, but he got off track on January 6 and that was a costly error for our democracy,” Hutchinson suggested to Baier, “And I agree with a lot of the comments. He has responsibility there.”
The governor concluded on the topic, “Republicans need to do a lot of soul-searching as to what is the right thing here, what is the right thing to say for our party and our democracy and our future, and not simply appeal to the basic instincts of some of our base.”
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Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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48 thoughts on “GOP Gov claims Trump is ‘politically, morally responsible’ for J6, many Republicans looking for an ‘off ramp’”
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Hutchinson is nothing more than a blue RINO !
Any division in this country associated with President Trump, is based on the leftist hatred of him. Their hatred is due to him not being part of the establishment that trades Americas interest for their own personal profit. He never said White supremacist were good people, Mexicans are rapist and murderers or colluded with Russia. President Trump was not the problem, democrats were and still are.
HUTCHISON IS NO DIFFERENT THAN BILL CLINTON AND A PUSSY BESIDES THAT.
All he has to do is switch parties. What’s so hard about that?
Gov. Asa Hutchinson (RINO), I’ve searched my soul long enough…you and your ilk of Elitist slugs really need to go away and shut your piehole(s)!!!
Asa Hutchinson Is a RINO. a Clintonite, an operator for the Democrats and has been for years. I am glad he is term-limited and if he tries to run for the presidency, he will be tuned out quickly due to his standings and opinions. He will be a wasted energy…. Good riddance.
If he only watched the TV show with the editing out of key points
Of course he would go on Baier, another liberal ya, ya.
Asa Hutchinson is a lying douchebag… he is about as conservative as Ass-rash Tliab.
Hutchinson is a typical establishment RINO who would not make a pimple on President Trump’s butt. He lacks conviction and integrity!
TRUMP is the ONLY GOP/CONSERVATIVE with any BALLS! The GOP needs to MAN UP against the LEFT or the U.S. is finished!
nah, there are a lot of great conservatives… Jordan, Desantis, Gomert, Kennedy, all the “Freedom caucus”… many more…
All RINO’s should be put out of their misery.
This is just a guy who sees corporate America going “woke” and wants to keep his future business opportunities open.
are Maxine Waters and other Dems responsible for damage caused by their followers?
Outgoing Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) operative word is outgoing. What has this pinhead done for Arkansas let alone the country. Trump took the mess created by Obama and pointed our country in the right direction. If it wasn’t for an extremely questionable election, one that is being proven more and more fraudulent by the day, President Trump would have had this country humming!!
Yes, Trump IS responsible for the condition of America on January 6, 2021! Gas $2.00 a gallon, an almost secure border, the Wall almost done, low inflation and China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and the Taliban under control! Yes, I long for the good old days!
Asa Hutchinson still represents the McConnell martini swilling troglodytes of the GOP, the old mighty whitey days are dying off and that is a good thing. May your career rest in pieces
MAGA is not fringe, neither is it some group of crazies. It has become the party of the people as opposed to the political authorities in charge. In that, if this Governor wants to get off, all he has to do is continue to blame Trump for what the deep-state crazies did to Trump. He is not to blame for what our Socialists do – even if he seems more in charge than they are.
If Asa runs for president, he should run as a Democrat. Hopefully, he has burned his bridges in the Republican party
One telling observation by the author of the article is the paragraph where he wrote “The governor has waffled in the past when political pressure has grown too severe. After signing into law a ban on mask mandates in his state, he went on to say, “Yes, in hindsight, I wish that it had not become law,” demonstrating that his objective as a politician is to leave the door wide open to change his view as polling numbers dictate.” Sounds to me like he lets others dictate how he should govern. I want the people I vote for to have their principles and stick to them. Not change them anytime they may affect his/her popularity. So this man just lost any possibility of my vote.
I met Hutchinson when he was head of DEA . Total apparatchik deep state .
Good for AR that they have term limits .
Trump was responsible for the Jan 6 insurrection. He was the worst POTUS in history.
Anyone who still supports Trump is a moron.
Wow and now it’s obvious there were many mentally challenged like you that voted for Biden! Facts from Trumps reign vs Biden is all the proof one needs.
You’re out of your mind
Go to hell you stupid bastard
Republicans need to get thier heads out of thier rear-end. TRUMP did NOT lose the 2020 election. He is NOT responsible for J6. The so called J6 hearings are a sham created by the demonrats
Hell they haven’t presented only one side and the evidence that they are hiding says it all. It was a set up from the word go. Still no 14000 hours of video that says it and WHERE THE HELL IS RAY EPPS THE FBI GUY WHO participated and incited breaking into the Capital and that is recorded on hundreds of cell phones and now they are hiding him?? I wonder why?
Good riddance to this bad RINO. Hopefully, Sara Huckabee Sanders wins the governorship in November.
Another uninspiring Jeb Bush clone who is completely out of touch with Patriots seeking to take back our Republic.
He’s so ‘yesterday,’ yet is clueless to think he’s ‘cutting edge.’ Please run in ’24 to prove my point.
“Politically and morally” but not actually responsible for Jan 6th. Give me a break. That’s like saying, “I think he’s guilty even though I know he’s not.”
At least he didn’t come right out and say that He is morally superior to Pres. Trump – yet.
Asa , stay home and don’t waste what little time you have left getting your head bashed in by President Trumps tsunami.
What do the words “peacefully and patriotically” mean in Arkansas?
NOTHING! If you listen to this RINO.
Is someone running for Prez? Hmmm
Yes he is. He is my POS Governor. He need not waste his money running for President. I don’t he will carry his own state. He was part of the federal prosecution for the Mena connection that Clinton, Reagan and Bush were involved in. He dropped the testimony of 17 witnesses because no one wanted it pursued. He is worse than a RINO. FJB
What a dumb piece of work. People like him are responsible for run away inflation, soaring gas prices, shortages, shut down of the pipeline, we need to retire these old senile crazy people or won’t be keeping our republic. Civilizations fall not knowing when crazy people should be put in assisted living. FJB. TRUMP 2024.
I agree, but just being old or older doesn’t mean one is senile and crazy!
Correct 💯
Tell the IRS. They are the only ones interested. Hey IRS, are you listening?
Something the GOP has never learned. You stick together or STFU. When Biden’s handlers state that everything is rainbows and unicorns, the rest of the dems and their lackies in the media just follow along in lockstep.
Hutchinson blames the girl who gets raped on the way she dresses.
Wanting to examine her personally, for professional political purposes only.
What a gutless spineless jelly fish. Hey Hutch, hows the view down there. Just wait on that dark cloud of ghost start coming out of the wood work to carry you away.
Another Adam schiff head.
Eff off lefty.
He is worse than a lefty, he are the Republicans who are only conservative during elections. Only to vote their own values and interests the rest of the time. We do have soul searching to do, but only before you decide to remove these RINOs.
He’s actually more stupid than he looks.