The Leftists are lashing out against Trump and his allies. They’re furious he’s President once more.
That’s why a U.S. House Rep. went on CNN to smack Jim Acosta with a stark reality check.
Rep. Tim Burchett Clashes with CNN’s Jim Acosta Over Trump’s Jan. 6 Pardon Decision
Tensions flared on CNN’s Newsroom Wednesday as Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee and CNN anchor Jim Acosta engaged in a heated exchange over former President Donald Trump’s recent decision to pardon individuals involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. The confrontation centered on Trump’s move to grant “full, complete, and unconditional pardons” to approximately 1,500 people who participated in the violent protests, a decision that has sparked widespread political debate.
Trump’s pardons were officially announced Monday through an executive order, but the controversial nature of the move prompted Acosta to press Burchett on whether he would condemn the action. Burchett, however, resisted such a condemnation, instead accusing Acosta of focusing excessively on Trump’s actions and the events of January 6, a pattern he criticized as part of a broader media bias.
Acosta, known for his confrontational style, posed a series of questions to Burchett, demanding that the congressman offer his opinion on whether it was appropriate for Trump to grant pardons to those who stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Burchett, however, remained steadfast in his refusal to criticize Trump’s decision. Instead, he shifted the conversation to what he perceived as a double standard in media coverage of political pardons.
“This is a political world, Jim. And I don’t remember you all on CNN condemning [former President] Joe Biden for commuting the sentences of murderers and child m*lesters, which he did,” Burchett said, highlighting a comparison to President Joe Biden’s controversial pardons and commutations of individuals convicted of serious crimes.
Acosta, trying to keep the discussion focused, quickly countered, “Congressman, I’m not asking about that. Congressman, we talked about Joe Biden’s pardons.” But Burchett, undeterred, pressed on, disputing Acosta’s claims about Biden’s clemency actions. In December 2024, President Biden had commuted the sentences of 37 men convicted of heinous crimes, including m*rder and s*xual assault, which Burchett brought up to illustrate the broader issue of pardoning individuals convicted of serious offenses.
The exchange escalated when Acosta turned the conversation back to the pardons related to the January 6th Capitol rioters, asking Burchett to take a definitive stance on whether those individuals should be released from prison. Burchett responded with uncertainty, admitting, “I don’t know if it is or not. I’m not a lawyer.”
Despite his initial reluctance to take a firm position, Burchett pointed out that some of the rioters had not been granted due process in their legal proceedings. This reference to due process was underscored by a March 2024 ruling by a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals panel, which found that some defendants in the January 6 cases had experienced a wrongful extension of their prison sentences. Burchett’s comments highlighted a key point of contention for some supporters of the rioters, who believe they were unjustly treated by the legal system.
Acosta, undeterred, continued to press Burchett on the issue, accusing him of not supporting law enforcement and “betraying the blue.” In a pointed response, Burchett turned the tables, accusing Acosta and CNN of hypocrisy in their coverage of violent protests that occurred in the wake of the George Floyd k*lling in 2020.
“Jim, why don’t you just give an editorial and not let me come on? Look, what happened to the last four years with police? What happened with all the riots that took place all across the country? Police officers were m*rdered,” Burchett shot back, citing instances of violence against law enforcement officers during nationwide protests. “Courthouses were burned. Over 22 police cars were burned. Yet no one went to jail for that. Where is the — where is your crocodile tears for that?”
The congressman’s remarks also included criticism of how CNN had covered violent protests linked to the Black Lives Matter movement, a claim Acosta rejected. “This is not Fox [News], congressman. You can’t just spin a tale and pull the wool over people’s eyes,” Acosta said, defending CNN’s journalistic integrity. “This is CNN. This is the news. We are asking you to come on and tell the truth.”
Burchett didn’t back down, instead criticizing the media’s focus on Trump’s pardons while ignoring other pressing issues. “And that’s why more people are watching the Cartoon Network, Spongebob reruns right now, Jim. Look, I left the White House during a riot. My life was threatened. My life has been threatened within the last few weeks, yet there’s no coverage of that,” Burchett said, further fueling the conflict.
As the conversation wound down, Burchett accused Acosta and CNN of being unable to accept Trump’s victory in the 2024 election. “You just can’t stand the fact that he won and that America spoke. And that your view is very diminished,” he said, suggesting that CNN’s focus on Trump was reflective of broader dissatisfaction with the president’s electoral success.
Be sure to stay tuned to the Conservative Column for news and reports from Washington, D.C.
