McCarthy quietly moves to tamp down fallout after damaging audio

Key Facts

CNN — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has been maneuvering behind the scenes to contain the fallout over damning and contradictory conversations he had with other GOP lawmakers about then-President Donald Trump in the immediate aftermath of January 6.
And he has so far managed to calm nerves inside the House GOP Conference and prevent a public revolt from his right flank, who could jeopardize his path to the speakership if Republicans win the House – depending on the size of their potential majority that his closest advisers are trying to expand to avoid any problems.
Key to McCarthy’s ability to tame the potential backlash is that he has told GOP lawmakers that Trump isn’t upset with him over the bombshell reporting and audio clips from The New York Times, in which McCarthy is heard telling other GOP leaders that he planned to advise Trump to resign, among other things.
McCarthy has suggested to allies that he believed he was acting in Trump’s best interests – given the bipartisan push to impeach and convict him after January 6 – and that it would have been easier for the then-President to just resign, according to a Republican who spoke to the GOP leader on Friday.