During a wide-ranging interview that aired on this week’s broadcast of Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth challenged the claim that former President Donald Trump and others that spoke at a January 6 rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. were to blame for the incident that took place hours later at the U.S. Capitol.
According to Ainsworth, congressional Democrats’ pursuit of impeachment against Trump was the course of action. He argued that the actual participants who took part in the Capitol Hill violence were the ones to be held responsible.
“I think at the end of the day, I think when you look at impeachment, it really needs to be about somebody in office,” Ainsworth said on the topic of impeachment. “They’re wanting to impeach somebody that is now a private citizen. I think it doesn’t make sense. I think, obviously, it certainly is going to further divide our nation, and when you look at what good that is going to do — it is not going to cause any good. The purpose of impeachment is to remove somebody from office.”
“You know, I think any time anybody does anything wrong, it is that person’s individual responsibility,” he continued. “I don’t think anybody bears any responsibility for what those people did other than the people who acted and created crimes on their own. They shouldn’t have done that. It doesn’t matter what anyone said. They didn’t force them to do that. Those people did it on their own will. And you know what? Those people should be prosecuted, and they’re going to be. You can’t go break into a capitol. That’s not American, and that’s against the laws. They deserve to be prosecuted.”
“Capitol Journal” anchor Don Dailey asked if Trump bore any responsibility.
“I don’t think President Trump — I mean, I listened to his speech,” Ainsworth replied. “I don’t think he said anything at all, you know. I do not think he is to blame.”
Later in the segment, after discussing his bout with COVID-19, Ainsworth said he still viewed masks as a personal responsibility issue and not up to the government to mandate.
“It boils down to me about personal responsibility,” Ainsworth explained. “I don’t think the government should be in the business of mandating that you wear a mask. I think that each person should be able to do what they need to do to protect their health. That is what it boils down to, to me. That is what it has always been. It’s a policy decision.”
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.
