[Stire] Scalise defends McCarthy’s decision to give Jan. 6 tapes to Tucker Carlson as speaker dodges reporters’ questions

[REFLX]

WASHINGTON — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., on Tuesday defended the decision by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to hand over tens of thousands of hours of security video from the Jan. 6 insurrection to conservative Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have denounced McCarthy, saying the decision to share the video “poses grave security risks” to lawmakers and Capitol staff.

Questioned by NBC News about whether Republican leaders were concerned about such risks, Scalise said that the House committee investigating the attack "released a lot of video that was very sensitive."

"They released a lot of stuff that probably wouldn’t be good for Capitol Police, but ultimately, you know, exposing, like I said, the vice president’s full route," Scalise said, adding that it also showed from that day, "McCarthy‘s full route from his office to exiting the building."

Scalise said he wasn't sure if that part of the footage was "scrutinized" before being made public, but said McCarthy "wants transparency" this time around.

According to a staffer with direct knowledge of their process, the committee worked with a Capitol Police representative to make sure the video would not pose a security risk if it were released to the public.

The majority leader said that lawmakers didn't express concern about the sensitive nature of the video played in the committee's public hearings last year.

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