WASHINGTON —  Roger Stone, a long time confidant of former President Donald Trump says he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in an interview with the January 6 committee.  

“I question the legitimacy of this inquiry based on the fact that Speaker Pelosi rejected the appointment of republicans to this committee and seated two anti-Trump republicans. This is witch hunt 3.0,” Stone told reporters.

Stone’s dim view of the committee is one echoed by many prominent republicans, which is why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s recent comments are drawing attention.

After publicly opposing the creation of the committee for a while, this week McConnell told reporters, “we’re all watching, as you are, what is unfolding on the House side, and it will be interesting to reveal all the participants who were involved.”

“My point was we’re watching the investigation as it’s occurring over in the House, reading about it like everyone else and it will be interesting to see what facts they find,” McConnell told Spectrum News in an exclusive interview.

“It was a horrendous event,” McConnell added. “I think what they are seeking to find out is something the public needs to know.”

Back in the spring, McConnell announced on the Senate floor that he opposed creating the commission saying, “I support the strong, existing investigations and justice for any American, any American, who has broken the law.”  

During that speech he accused democrats of acting in “partisan bad faith.”  

On a trip to Kentucky in June, McConnell doubled down on those comments.