Republican congressional candidate Brandon Williams on Thursday publicly criticized former President Donald Trump for the first time for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
Williams made the comments during the 22nd congressional district debate with Democrat Francis Connoll hosted by WSYR-TV (Channel 9) in Syracuse.
Both candidates were asked how much they believed Trump was responsible for instigating the January 6 attacks.
“When you sit in a leadership role like that, your words matter,” Williams said, adding that he doesn’t know all the details of what was said that day. , as the leader of the free world, this country has a 200-year tradition of peaceful transitions of power, almost unprecedented in the entire world.”
Williams never directly named Trump in his comments. But his denunciations are noteworthy. When he was previously asked if he believed Trump was responsible for inciting the violent attacks, he refused to answer.
Later in his response, Williams named President Joe Biden and suggested he was responsible for the state of American democracy.
“Having rhetoric that undermines our institutions and 200-year-old traditions is not good for our leaders,” Williams said. “Joe Biden, he called us enemies of democracy — that’s how he describes Republicans these days. Sounds like? And I think the answer is no.”
Connor has repeatedly pressed Williams about January 6 in previous public appearances, suggesting that his opponents supported the attack.
Williams has refused to join election deniers within his party. condemned the riots in the Capitol.
Connor said he was promoting the lie that the election was stolen and holding Trump accountable for the attack. “We need to lower the temperature here and talk to people who really disagree,” he said.
During the hour-long debate, the candidates had the campaign’s sharpest exchange of views over the issue of abortion rights.
Williams is against abortion rights. But he has consistently said he will not vote in Congress for a nationwide ban on abortion, leaving it to states to decide after the Supreme Court overturned his Roe v. Wade decision. said he thought it should. Williams said he would allow exceptions in cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s life is in danger.
Connor argued that allowing Williams to set policies in each state would allow politicians to ban abortion outright without exception.
“This affects women all over the country,” said Connor, who wants to pass federal legislation to legalize abortion nationwide.
Williams said, “I’m not running for Congress across the country. I’m here in New York.” I’m here in central New York. ”
Connoll said, “Your own state of Texas, where you’re from, bans abortion without exception. (National) Rights to Life are spending thousands of dollars on your behalf in this district. And Now do you think we would believe you wouldn’t go to Washington and vote for a nationwide ban?”
Conole said 160 House Republicans have already indicated their intent to vote for a nationwide abortion ban. He suggested that Williams was misleading voters about his position on the issue.
“I’m calling BS,” Conole said. “I think you’re a danger to women in central New York. I’m going to fight to stop this madness and rebuild Law on the federal level.”
Williams replied, “It’s politics, as usual.”
At one point during the debate, candidates were asked to answer a series of questions in one sentence.
When asked if democracy was in danger in America, Connor said “yes” and Williams said “no.”
When asked to describe Biden in one word, Connor replied, “the current president.” Williams replied, “Old man.”
When asked to rate the performance of Rep. R-Camillus Rep. John Catko, who will step down from the House of Representatives after eight years, Williams gave him a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. Connoll gave Catko a 9. gave the
Williams briefly reminded voters: Just keep that in mind. ”
Conole noted that Katko refused to endorse the election.
The taped debate will air today at 7:00 pm on WSYR-TV (Channel 9) in Syracuse and WUTR-TV in Utica. Also streamed on localsyr.com.
This debate was the third and final public debate before Election Day.
Early voting in the new 22nd congressional district begins Saturday and runs through Sunday, November 6. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th.
The district straddles all of Onondaga, Madison, and Oneida counties, as well as the southeastern tip of Oswego county. Cayuga County’s Williams has promised to move to a new district if elected in November.
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