We reported earlier how it didn’t go well for Adam Kinzinger when he tried to defend the Jan. 6 Committee after Tucker Carlson exposed some of their manipulations with his release of Jan. 6 footage.

But Kinzinger, a former Jan. 6 Committee member, can’t take being challenged. He’s a bit like Joe Biden in that respect. He’s still bleating trying to defend himself on CNN and he also got schooled in a Twitter battle with former U.S. Ambassador to Germany under Trump, Ric Grenell.

Now, you know he was going on CNN with Don Lemon so he wasn’t likely to get challenged there and he could rail about Tucker and they wouldn’t call him on it. But even so, his defense had a big hole in it.

Former politician @AdamKinzinger on 1/6: "There are people that are so invested in the emotional politics" they refuse to accept reality pic.twitter.com/97nMFCQdDa

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 7, 2023

So he talks about Tucker Carlson creating a straw man — as he creates a straw man about only a few people in one of the Capitol rooms — which had nothing to do with the main points Carlson was making. Then he talks about Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) running, saying yes, people were running because of the violence. That again misses the whole point Carlson was making and is completely disingenuous about the Committee’s manipulation. He says that now, as the Committee edited the tape, according to Carlson, to make Hawley look like he was running away so they could mock him and attack him. They left out that other people were all being moved by the Capitol Police. Notice Kinzinger leaves out that mocking narrative the Committee was pushing.

Kinzinger insisted that no one ever claimed that Officer Brian Sicknick died at the riot. Well, yes, many did, including Joe Biden. Much of the media for months, lied and claimed that he was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher, even though that never happened. As Carlson pointed out, Sicknick even had a helmet on and appeared in good condition. Some Democrats are still claiming Sicknick was “slain” when indeed his cause of death was natural causes, from a stroke that happened the next day.

Kinzinger then talks about the Ray Epps point Carlson made — that Epps was still there 30 minutes after he testified to the Committee that he had left, yet the Committee didn’t seem at all concerned that he hadn’t told them the truth, according to Carlson. Notice Kinzinger doesn’t provide any evidence at all to dispute what Carlson said. Kinzinger isn’t upset with Epps for not being straight, he’s upset with Tucker, for pointing out that conflict, and questioning why the Committee seems not to care.

Kinzinger insisted they “set history straight on the Committee.” No, they didn’t. They were presenting a political narrative, with even an ABC director to craft their product. Yes, there was rioting. But they also fail to highlight things that would hurt their principal goal — to blame former President Donald Trump — like Trump calling on people at his rally to act “peacefully” and “patriotically” which pretty much blows their case against him out of the water. So much for their transparency.

Meanwhile, Kinzinger failed to rebut the questions Carlson raised. He talks about people being invested in “emotional politics.” He could give no better description of himself who has invested his whole being into this in the hopes, I think, that it will take him to higher office in the future.

Then he protests that his Committee — truly one of the most partisan, political Committees in history — without any members appointed by Republicans, and only Trump haters allowed — was “transparent.”

Kinzinger on Tucker calling him a liar: “In terms of saying that we have hidden this footage, we had one of the most transparent hearing in history with the most footage we have ever shown in history” pic.twitter.com/uFYyw4OIbP

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 7, 2023

“In terms of saying that we have hidden this footage, we had one of the most transparent hearings in history with the most footage we have ever shown in history.” And Don Lemon laughed at that, as though that had any validity at all. That’s hilarious, without any rebuttal or anyone allowed on the Committee who might question the political narrative they were laying down to affect the midterms. If they cared about transparency, why didn’t they release the footage that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) did to Tucker Carlson? He can’t answer that question.

Ric Grenell scolded Kinzinger and Liz Cheney for their actions.

Shame on you both – @AdamKinzinger & @Liz_Cheney https://t.co/wBQ2R73MUL

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) March 7, 2023

Kinzinger threw a fit and did one heck of a projection job, accusing Grenell of selling out, when it’s Kinzinger who sold out to the Democrats.

Oh trust me, Mr. Grenell, between you and I deep down it isn’t me that is ashamed… you know better and have sold yourself out to power. https://t.co/pRU2ueB2Ow

— Adam Kinzinger #fella (@AdamKinzinger) March 7, 2023

But Grenell finished him off, pointing out how they didn’t release the new footage and that’s all on them.

Why did you not demand transparency with the video footage? https://t.co/Q7JKRsrO1w

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) March 7, 2023

. @AdamKinzinger hasn’t answered the question as to why the new footage wasn’t presented.

And @kaitlancollins nor @donlemon pressed him. https://t.co/161sLQdcjp

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) March 7, 2023

That’s the bottom line — they should have been open with the American people from the start, not just cherry-picked what they wanted to serve the narrative. That’s why Tucker’s show hit home with people, and why Kinzinger is still melting down.