Rep. Tim Burchett, CNN’s Acosta Battle over Jan. 6 Pardons for 10 Minutes: ‘You Just Can’t Stand the Fact That He Won’

ACOSTA This morning the ░░░░░░░░ of two far right ░░░░░░░░ groups are free after ░░░░░░░░ pardoned for helping to ░░░░░░░░ the January 6th insurrection ░░░░░░░░ Proud Boys leader Enrique ░░░░░░░░ and Oath Keepers Founder ░░░░░░░░ Rhodes both convicted of ░░░░░░░░ conspiracy left prison on ░░░░░░░░ just hours after President ░░░░░░░░ granted clemency to more ░░░░░░░░ 1 500 people charged ░░░░░░░░ trying to overturn the ░░░░░░░░ election rioting at the ░░░░░░░░ Let s discuss that ░░░░░░░░ more now with Republican ░░░░░░░░ Tim Burchett of Tennessee ░░░░░░░░ thanks so much for ░░░░░░░░ here Axios is reporting ░░░░░░░░ Trump s January 6th ░░░░░░░░ were a last minute ░░░░░░░░ His team was reportedly ░░░░░░░░ with how to handle ░░░░░░░░ but according to one ░░░░░░░░ Trump said quote Eff ░░░░░░░░ release them all Your ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT Well Jim as ░░░░░░░░ it s good to ░░░░░░░░ on here for my ░░░░░░░░ beating from you all ░░░░░░░░ CNN And I appreciate ░░░░░░░░ brother And I was ░░░░░░░░ about you this morning ░░░░░░░░ because I remember Rush ░░░░░░░░ somebody called in when ░░░░░░░░ Clinton was elected president ░░░░░░░░ they said Oh I ░░░░░░░░ you re depressed And ░░░░░░░░ said Depressed Heck no ░░░░░░░░ got four years of ░░░░░░░░ Just think you ve ░░░░░░░░ four years of material ░░░░░░░░ least right now ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ I m not so ░░░░░░░░ worried about material congressman ░░░░░░░░ I am about the ░░░░░░░░ releasing violent offenders who ░░░░░░░░ the Capitol where you ░░░░░░░░ standing right now on ░░░░░░░░ 6th BURCHETT Yeah ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ who were convicted of ░░░░░░░░ conspiracy I spoke with ░░░░░░░░ Harry Dunn at the ░░░░░░░░ of the program I ░░░░░░░░ with the ex wife ░░░░░░░░ Stewart Rhodes Tasha Adams ░░░░░░░░ are both worried about ░░░░░░░░ safety Do you defend ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump did releasing ░░░░░░░░ people from prison pardoning ░░░░░░░░ commuting their sentences Yes ░░░░░░░░ no BURCHETT Well I ░░░░░░░░ the last person to ░░░░░░░░ the Capitol grounds excuse ░░░░░░░░ the floor of the ░░░░░░░░ last member of Congress ░░░░░░░░ January 6th when all ░░░░░░░░ went down I you ░░░░░░░░ I was offended as ░░░░░░░░ if they crossed those ░░░░░░░░ they were breaking the ░░░░░░░░ But you got to ░░░░░░░░ too they were charged ░░░░░░░░ federal law Many of ░░░░░░░░ never even saw their ░░░░░░░░ in court and were ░░░░░░░░ in a jail cell ░░░░░░░░ the whole thing is ░░░░░░░░ news ACOSTA Yeah Congressman ░░░░░░░░ But you but you ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA no congressman I ░░░░░░░░ you a yes or ░░░░░░░░ question Do you agree ░░░░░░░░ President Trump s decision ░░░░░░░░ pardon these violent people ░░░░░░░░ releasing them from jail ░░░░░░░░ If they were truly ░░░░░░░░ no but but do ░░░░░░░░ know that they were ░░░░░░░░ don t know that ░░░░░░░░ he also crosstalk ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ do you mean you ░░░░░░░░ t know that We ░░░░░░░░ showing the footage on ░░░░░░░░ air right now Congressman ░░░░░░░░ were there that day ░░░░░░░░ there are offenders on ░░░░░░░░ 6th who violently beat ░░░░░░░░ officers There are offenders ░░░░░░░░ are convicted of seditious ░░░░░░░░ That is the truth ░░░░░░░░ This is a political ░░░░░░░░ Jim And I don ░░░░░░░░ remember you all on ░░░░░░░░ condemning Joe Biden for ░░░░░░░░ the sentences of murders ░░░░░░░░ child molesters which he ░░░░░░░░ And you are crosstalk ░░░░░░░░ Congressman I m not ░░░░░░░░ you about that Congressman ░░░░░░░░ have talked about Joe ░░░░░░░░ s pardons BURCHETT Well ░░░░░░░░ never do You never ░░░░░░░░ Jim You never do ░░░░░░░░ Congressman we ve talked ░░░░░░░░ it We talked about ░░░░░░░░ Biden s pardons BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ Jim you did not ░░░░░░░░ all read your your ░░░░░░░░ I m asking you ░░░░░░░░ your report from the ░░░░░░░░ National Committee as you ░░░░░░░░ do and you attack ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA That is that ░░░░░░░░ absolutely false BURCHETT No ░░░░░░░░ Congressman are you going ░░░░░░░░ respond and say whether ░░░░░░░░ not it is right ░░░░░░░░ let these people out ░░░░░░░░ jail BURCHETT I don ░░░░░░░░ know if it is ░░░░░░░░ not I m not ░░░░░░░░ lawyer But I ll ░░░░░░░░ you what isn t ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA You are a ░░░░░░░░ You re a member ░░░░░░░░ Congress You re an ░░░░░░░░ official BURCHETT It is ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA Take a stand ░░░░░░░░ they were not given ░░░░░░░░ were not given due ░░░░░░░░ I told you if ░░░░░░░░ cross the line they ░░░░░░░░ trespassers Should they rot ░░░░░░░░ jail for the rest ░░░░░░░░ their lives in the ░░░░░░░░ penitentiary and never be ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA Not trespassing beating ░░░░░░░░ officer tasing police officers ░░░░░░░░ Jim ACOSTA seditious conspiracy ░░░░░░░░ what you re forgetting ░░░░░░░░ note what you re ░░░░░░░░ to say is the ░░░░░░░░ that he didn t ░░░░░░░░ Why did he not ░░░░░░░░ those There are several ░░░░░░░░ he did This blanket ░░░░░░░░ you re all talking ░░░░░░░░ is not a blanket ░░░░░░░░ s not a blanket ░░░░░░░░ There were several that ░░░░░░░░ didn t for those ░░░░░░░░ same reasons Why are ░░░░░░░░ not focusing on them ░░░░░░░░ don t know ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ we re talking about ░░░░░░░░ leader of the Oath ░░░░░░░░ the leader of the ░░░░░░░░ Boys They should be ░░░░░░░░ from prison BURCHETT What ░░░░░░░░ the leader of the ░░░░░░░░ What about the FBI ░░░░░░░░ that were on the ░░░░░░░░ that were in in ░░░░░░░░ mass that were helping ░░░░░░░░ rchestrate that ACOSTA Congressman ░░░░░░░░ leader of the FBI ░░░░░░░░ not riding at the ░░░░░░░░ that day and beating ░░░░░░░░ police officers Whatever happened ░░░░░░░░ back the blue I ░░░░░░░░ to show this The ░░░░░░░░ Order of Police another ░░░░░░░░ organization out there the ░░░░░░░░ Organization of Police Chiefs ░░░░░░░░ we can show that ░░░░░░░░ on screen that would ░░░░░░░░ great They both say ░░░░░░░░ what President Trump did ░░░░░░░░ wrong They re deeply ░░░░░░░░ by these pardons And ░░░░░░░░ want to ask you ░░░░░░░░ Jim if they broke ░░░░░░░░ law they ought to ░░░░░░░░ in jail ACOSTA whatever ░░░░░░░░ happened BURCHETT If they ░░░░░░░░ the law they ought ░░░░░░░░ be in jail ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ Well BURCHETT You know ░░░░░░░░ just bring this stuff ░░░░░░░░ me I don t ░░░░░░░░ I haven t seen ░░░░░░░░ tapes of these individuals ░░░░░░░░ what crosstalk ACOSTA What ░░░░░░░░ to back the blue ░░░░░░░░ happened to backing police ░░░░░░░░ Your party has said ░░░░░░░░ and again we back ░░░░░░░░ blue It sounds like ░░░░░░░░ let down the blue ░░░░░░░░ re betraying the blue ░░░░░░░░ Jim Jim why don ░░░░░░░░ you just give an ░░░░░░░░ and not let me ░░░░░░░░ on Look what happened ░░░░░░░░ the last four years ░░░░░░░░ police What happened with ░░░░░░░░ the riots that took ░░░░░░░░ all across the country ░░░░░░░░ officers were murdered Courthouses ░░░░░░░░ burned Over 22 police ░░░░░░░░ were burned Yet no ░░░░░░░░ went to jail for ░░░░░░░░ Where is that where ░░░░░░░░ your crosstalk ACOSTA You ░░░░░░░░ re BURCHETT No you ░░░░░░░░ not you re not ░░░░░░░░ the crosstalk ACOSTA Congressman ░░░░░░░░ re engaging in a ░░░░░░░░ You re engaging BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA in a game ░░░░░░░░ whataboutism People were obviously ░░░░░░░░ after those riots BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ about what you all ░░░░░░░░ at CNN every day ░░░░░░░░ day all you ve ░░░░░░░░ is ACOSTA What are ░░░░░░░░ talking about what were ░░░░░░░░ at CNN We didn ░░░░░░░░ storm the capital BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ day ACOSTA These people ░░░░░░░░ And President Trump let ░░░░░░░░ out of jail Why ░░░░░░░░ just say you were ░░░░░░░░ Mr President Say it ░░░░░░░░ can t you say ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT Jim as I ░░░░░░░░ individually I don t ░░░░░░░░ the case but on ░░░░░░░░ but on several he ░░░░░░░░ not release from jail ░░░░░░░░ are you not putting ░░░░░░░░ story out on that ░░░░░░░░ saying it s a ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA All right BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ the types of these ░░░░░░░░ beating police officers ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ re showing it right ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT Of those individuals ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA Congressman I ll ░░░░░░░░ happy to go to ░░░░░░░░ office and show you ░░░░░░░░ footage BURCHETT No you ░░░░░░░░ not You are not ░░░░░░░░ of these people beating ░░░░░░░░ officers BURCHETT You are ░░░░░░░░ Jim You re showing ░░░░░░░░ ve seen the I ░░░░░░░░ seen that footage But ░░░░░░░░ those individuals Jim ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ I spoke with the ░░░░░░░░ wife of Stewart Rhodes ░░░░░░░░ leader of the Oath ░░░░░░░░ This is what she ░░░░░░░░ me just a few ░░░░░░░░ ago Let s listen ░░░░░░░░ this Clip starts Adams ░░░░░░░░ m worried I am ░░░░░░░░ I also worry about ░░░░░░░░ followers They re a ░░░░░░░░ unhinged and he does ░░░░░░░░ to be regathering and ░░░░░░░░ regrouping his his army ░░░░░░░░ know right now Clip ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA Congressman there are ░░░░░░░░ who turned in their ░░░░░░░░ because they were involved ░░░░░░░░ January 6 Who s ░░░░░░░░ to protect them now ░░░░░░░░ these people have been ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT Jim Jim I ░░░░░░░░ individuals from my my ░░░░░░░░ bankers church people that ░░░░░░░░ before all this happened ░░░░░░░░ FBI came to their ░░░░░░░░ their places of business ░░░░░░░░ harassed them This was ░░░░░░░░ political thing from the ░░░░░░░░ It was a bad ░░░░░░░░ in America If they ░░░░░░░░ the lines crosstalk ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ a political thing It ░░░░░░░░ not a political thing ░░░░░░░░ they broke the law ░░░░░░░░ Jim it s all ░░░░░░░░ It s all political ░░░░░░░░ It s not all ░░░░░░░░ There s such a ░░░░░░░░ as right and wrong ░░░░░░░░ law and order And ░░░░░░░░ congressman your party has ░░░░░░░░ we back the blue ░░░░░░░░ I just want to ░░░░░░░░ you if if any ░░░░░░░░ these people who were ░░░░░░░░ from prison if any ░░░░░░░░ them commit crimes in ░░░░░░░░ future should Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ personal responsibility for that ░░░░░░░░ No more than Joe ░░░░░░░░ should take personal responsibility ░░░░░░░░ 14 million people for ░░░░░░░░ Riley losing her life ░░░░░░░░ he didn t have ░░░░░░░░ guts to enforce the ░░░░░░░░ and back Americans ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ m not talking about ░░░░░░░░ Biden If Joe Biden ░░░░░░░░ Well you should be ░░░░░░░░ all ACOSTA pardon people ░░░░░░░░ they reoffend he s ░░░░░░░░ responsible for that BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ you all ACOSTA I ░░░░░░░░ asking you why BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA can t members ░░░░░░░░ your party just tell ░░░░░░░░ president when he s ░░░░░░░░ Why can t you ░░░░░░░░ that BURCHETT You spent ░░░░░░░░ years making escuses for ░░░░░░░░ fellow ACOSTA What are ░░░░░░░░ afraid of BURCHETT with ░░░░░░░░ Alzheimer s in the ░░░░░░░░ office in this country ░░░░░░░░ defaming him and putting ░░░░░░░░ in office ACOSTA Congressman ░░░░░░░░ and I know you ░░░░░░░░ I talked about this ░░░░░░░░ we raised questions about ░░░░░░░░ time and again on ░░░░░░░░ network on this program ░░░░░░░░ m I m asking ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT You all made ░░░░░░░░ for him for four ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA a question BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ elected him ACOSTA Is ░░░░░░░░ Trump responsible is he ░░░░░░░░ if some of these ░░░░░░░░ reoffend What happens if ░░░░░░░░ of the Oath Keepers ░░░░░░░░ the Proud Boys goes ░░░░░░░░ there and hurt somebody ░░░░░░░░ t and they were ░░░░░░░░ on January 6 and ░░░░░░░░ put in prison and ░░░░░░░░ Trump released them isn ░░░░░░░░ he then responsible for ░░░░░░░░ Isn t he responsible ░░░░░░░░ somebody gets hurt BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ would say if they ░░░░░░░░ Trump appointed judges they ░░░░░░░░ go to jail But ░░░░░░░░ they re Joe Biden ░░░░░░░░ judges or or Soros ░░░░░░░░ DAs they ll probably ░░░░░░░░ as they do in ░░░░░░░░ York and the rest ░░░░░░░░ the country as we ░░░░░░░░ during the Black Lives ░░░░░░░░ marches we saw in ░░░░░░░░ riots all across the ░░░░░░░░ Those people walked Nobody ░░░░░░░░ to jail for that ░░░░░░░░ upon millions of dollars ░░░░░░░░ property was damaged as ░░░░░░░░ all didn t raise ░░░░░░░░ finger didn t say ░░░░░░░░ word about it ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ that s just not ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT You showed it ░░░░░░░░ said Oh it s ░░░░░░░░ in order You showed ░░░░░░░░ had riots where things ░░░░░░░░ were burning down and ░░░░░░░░ were allowed to do ░░░░░░░░ They were allowed to ░░░░░░░░ it ACOSTA Congressman we ░░░░░░░░ covered it BURCHETT And ░░░░░░░░ all did not ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ ve covered it BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ you ve covered it ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA We ve covered ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT Come on Jim ░░░░░░░░ all day long BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ gave it a bare ░░░░░░░░ of of of coverage ░░░░░░░░ No BURCHETT And then ░░░░░░░░ went on to trashing ░░░░░░░░ on some conservative cause ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA I was at ░░░░░░░░ White House I was ░░░░░░░░ the White House covering ░░░░░░░░ first Trump Administration when ░░░░░░░░ had writing outside of ░░░░░░░░ White House I mean ░░░░░░░░ was covered on CNN ░░░░░░░░ you re saying this ░░░░░░░░ this is not Fox ░░░░░░░░ BURCHETT I left ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ can t just spin ░░░░░░░░ tail and pull the ░░░░░░░░ over people s eyes ░░░░░░░░ I left yeah ACOSTA ░░░░░░░░ is CNN This is ░░░░░░░░ news We re asking ░░░░░░░░ to come on and ░░░░░░░░ the truth BURCHETT And ░░░░░░░░ s why more people ░░░░░░░░ watching the Cartoon Network ░░░░░░░░ reruns right now Jim ░░░░░░░░ I left the White ░░░░░░░░ during a riot My ░░░░░░░░ was threatened My life ░░░░░░░░ been threatened within the ░░░░░░░░ few weeks Yet there ░░░░░░░░ no coverage of that ░░░░░░░░ you all continue this ░░░░░░░░ narrative attacking Trump You ░░░░░░░░ can t stand the ░░░░░░░░ that he won and ░░░░░░░░ America spoke ACOSTA Congressman ░░░░░░░░ That s not the ░░░░░░░░ at that s not ░░░░░░░░ case at all crosstalk ░░░░░░░░ Your view is very ░░░░░░░░ And your view is ░░░░░░░░ diminished ACOSTA I asked ░░░░░░░░ to come on to ░░░░░░░░ you about these pardons ░░░░░░░░ they are highly controversial ░░░░░░░░ they could result in ░░░░░░░░ getting hurt And I ░░░░░░░░ that s a sincere ░░░░░░░░ to ask and it ░░░░░░░░ an honest question BURCHETT ░░░░░░░░ they break the law ░░░░░░░░ they go to jail ░░░░░░░░ they break the law ░░░░░░░░ they go to jail ░░░░░░░░ They they went to ░░░░░░░░ and then the president ░░░░░░░░ them out of jail ░░░░░░░░ all I m asking ░░░░░░░░ That s the key ░░░░░░░░ ACOSTA is for you ░░░░░░░░ say that if you ░░░░░░░░ it s wrong say ░░░░░░░░ s wrong BURCHETT that ░░░░░░░░ the key They did ░░░░░░░░ to jail And under ░░░░░░░░ Soros backed DAs all ░░░░░░░░ the country these people ░░░░░░░░ walking for for much ░░░░░░░░ heinous crimes than this ░░░░░░░░ Congressman Tim Burchett of ░░░░░░░░ Thank you for your ░░░░░░░░ and thank you for ░░░░░░░░ us this morning I ░░░░░░░░ Jim Acosta Our next ░░░░░░░░ of Newsroom with Pamela ░░░░░░░░ starts after a short ░░░░░░░░ Have a good day.”