GOP governor slams attack on Capitol as ‘despicable’

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) condemned last week’s riot by pro-Trump mobs at the U.S. Capitol, calling them “despicable” and saying it makes Americans “look terrible beyond belief.”

“We have got to step back and take some deep breaths and realize that we’re Americans first and foremost,” Justice said Monday on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.” “We aren’t Democrats and Republicans first and foremost. We’re Americans, and for crying out loud, this makes us look terrible beyond belief.”

“What happened with the attack on our Capitol, with people who were just out of control, is despicable,” he said. “That’s all there is to it. There’s no other way around it.”

Justice was elected as a Democrat in 2016 but announced his party switch less than a year later at a campaign rally with President Trump. He was reelected as a Republican in 2020.

The governor specifically addressed the case of Derrick Evans, who resigned from the West Virginia House of Delegates after his arrest for participating in the riot. Evans livestreamed parts of the riot.

“To run up there and film yourself and go through that and everything, that’s nothing but a dumb bunny,” Justice said on CNBC. “I don’t know Delegate Evans. He’s newly elected and everything, but from my standpoint, if you’re going to do that stuff, really and truly you ought to suffer the consequences.”

Evans has been charged with disorderly conduct and entering a restricted area, both of which are misdemeanors, according to The Associated Press.

“I take full responsibility for my actions, and deeply regret any hurt, pain or embarrassment I may have caused my family, friends, constituents and fellow West Virginians,” he said, according to the AP. “I hope this action I take today can remove any cloud of distraction from the state Legislature, so my colleagues can get to work in earnest building a brighter future for our state.