Republicans, Wary of Political Fallout, Steer Clear of Rally for Riot Suspects

WASHINGTON — Ever since a pro-Trump mob attacked the Capitol connected Jan. 6, Republicans person been trying to displacement the nationalist speech distant from that dark, convulsive time and onto what they accidental are the problems of the Biden administration: a troubled pullout from Afghanistan, an overtaxed confederate borderline and rising inflation.

Then, a erstwhile run operative of President Donald J. Trump announced that helium was organizing hundreds of protesters to instrumentality to the Capitol connected Saturday for a rally successful enactment of the defendants charged successful transportation with the deadly assault, which near dozens of officers bloodied.

Bad memories of the unit rushed back. The Capitol Police announced that they were reinstalling a information obstruction astir the analyzable and were alert of “concerning online chatter” from extremist groups. And galore Republican lawmakers, gritting their teeth, said they wanted thing to bash with the event. Not a azygous subordinate of Congress has confirmed his oregon her attendance, adjacent those who person been astir outspoken successful portraying the rioters arsenic patriots who person been persecuted for their governmental beliefs.

“There are a batch of intelligibly aggravated radical who privation to march connected the Capitol,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2 Republican. “I haven’t talked to a azygous Republican up present successful the Senate that has encouraged oregon enabled thing similar that.”

Nevertheless, the “Justice for J6” rally, to beryllium held astatine noon connected Saturday astatine the ft of Capitol Hill, has created a predicament for Republicans, who are caught betwixt a hard-right basal including galore voters who see the rioters righteous and a tendency to region themselves from the onslaught and its governmental fallout.

“Anytime the attraction is connected Joe Biden it’s bully for Republicans, and anytime the attraction is connected Jan. 6 it’s atrocious for Republicans,” said John Feehery, a Republican strategist and seasoned of Capitol Hill. “The lone anticipation Democrats person of keeping the House is to marque Jan. 6 the contented of the campaign. They cognize that, and we cognize that. The lone radical who don’t look to cognize that are the activists.”

That has near apical Republicans successful an uncomfortable spot, toiling to region themselves from an lawsuit that is definite to dredge up the taxable of the Capitol riot — and that could perchance spiral retired of power — but wary of offending voters who sympathize with the cause.

Representative Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California and the number leader, told reporters this week that helium did not expect immoderate lawmaker successful his enactment to attend, but his bureau had nary effect to questions astir whether helium supported the rally oregon was dissuading radical from attending. Representatives Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Elise Stefanik of New York, the second- and third-ranking House Republicans, person been likewise taciturn astir the event.

Even Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican who has been among the astir vocal critics of the attraction of the Jan. 6 suspects, said she would not beryllium attending the rally, adjacent arsenic she defended the inspiration down it.

“There’s a two-track justness strategy successful America, and the attraction of the J6 governmental prisoners compared with convulsive antifa/BLM rioters proves it,” she said successful a lengthy email statement.

Ms. Greene said she condemned the unit that occurred during the riot, but said she believed that “illegal aliens are treated amended than galore of the J6 accused.”

In shunning the event, Republicans are pursuing the pb of Mr. Trump himself, who has been uncharacteristically soundless astir it adjacent though helium has successful the past defended the mob.

Mr. Trump, aides said, has small involvement successful engaging with the protestation and has nary plans to beryllium anyplace adjacent Washington connected Saturday. Instead, his docket includes a play tourney astatine his Bedminster, N.J., nine earlier helium heads backmost down to his Mar-a-Lago edifice successful Florida, according to radical acquainted with his schedule.

Mr. Trump views the planned protestation arsenic a setup that the quality media volition usage against him careless of the outcome, according to radical acquainted with his thinking.

But disquiet successful the enactment is existent connected behalf of the Jan. 6 defendants, peculiarly those who are charged with nonviolent offenses, Mr. Feehery said. He said galore Republican voters believed that the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol would person received lighter attraction if they had been supporting a left-wing cause.

Capitol Police officials person urged anyone considering unit to enactment location alternatively of attending Saturday’s rally, which was organized by Matt Braynard, a erstwhile Trump run operative, and his organization, Look Ahead America.

Mr. Braynard has pledged that his radical volition beryllium peaceful, dissimilar the mob that stormed the Capitol connected Jan. 6, erstwhile astir 140 constabulary officers were injured and respective radical died.

Mr. Braynard has argued that the brutal attacks connected constabulary officers during the battle were the enactment of a “few atrocious apples” and accused the Biden medication of targeting the “peaceful Trump supporters who entered the Capitol with selective prosecutions based connected their governmental beliefs.”

“These people’s faces are up connected billboards,” helium said. “They’re losing their jobs. They’re losing their homes. They’re spending each their savings connected attorneys. They’re going bankrupt for doing what connected immoderate different day, for immoderate different origin would person gotten you a $50 good and a slap connected the wrist.”

Those kinds of appeals had recovered enactment among the close flank of the Republican Party successful the House — including Ms. Greene and Representatives Matt Gaetz of Florida, Louie Gohmert of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, and Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs of Arizona. In July, those members held a quality league connected behalf of the Jan. 6 defendants, but arsenic of Wednesday, nary of them had confirmed their attendance to Saturday’s rally.

Mr. Braynard has had trouble securing high-profile speakers for his event. To date, helium has announced the attendance of 2 legislature hopefuls, including Joe Kent, a superior challenger to Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington, who was 1 of 10 Republicans to ballot to impeach Mr. Trump implicit his relation successful the attack.

Mr. Braynard besides announced that Ralph Norman, Republican of South Carolina, would be a aboriginal “Justice for J6” rally successful Columbia, S.C. But Mr. Norman’s spokesperson said helium would not beryllium attending.

Asked if helium believed Republican leaders were discouraging his efforts, Mr. Braynard said, “You’d person to inquire them that.”

In the Senate, Republicans person besides worked to region themselves from the rally, with galore arguing that it is simply a distraction.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the number leader, said helium believed the constabulary were “well equipped to handle” immoderate mightiness occur.

Senator Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican who led objections to President Biden’s triumph connected Jan. 6, said helium was not attending and was focusing connected different issues. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, different Republican who objected to the predetermination results and was successful adjacent interaction with Mr. Trump’s interior ellipse earlier and during the riot, besides said helium would not participate.

“I don’t expect a batch of radical there,” Mr. Tuberville said. “I haven’t heard thing astir it. I volition not beryllium there.”

Still others said they had small sympathy for the Jan. 6 defendants, and encouraged a forceful effect from the constabulary should Saturday’s assemblage crook violent.

“They request to instrumentality a steadfast line, buddy,” said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, an on-again, off-again state of Mr. Trump’s. “If anybody gets retired of line, they request to whack ’em.”

Annie Karni contributed reporting.