TOPEKA — Democrat Patrick Schmidt harshly criticized Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner during a televised debate Thursday for hiding on Jan. 6, 2021, while Capitol Police “were getting the s*** beat out of them,” then voted against accepting the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Schmidt, a U.S. Navy intelligence officer who is considered an extreme longshot in the 2nd District race, extended his criticism to LaTurner’s anti-abortion views, support for former Gov. Sam Brownback’s failed economic policies and opposition to Medicaid expansion.
LaTurner appeared calm throughout the hourlong attack while repeatedly insisting that Schmidt was distorting his voting record in Congress. LaTurner focused on national GOP talking points about inflation, crime and border control.
KTWU, the PBS affiliate in Topeka, broadcast the debate in partnership with Washburn University’s political science department. Washburn professor Bob Beatty moderated the debate.
Jan. 6 attack
Beatty asked LaTurner if he stands by his decision as a newly elected Congressman in 2021 to vote against accepting the election results.
“Joe Biden is the legitimate president of the United States,” LaTurner said. “The vote to not certify the election results in some states was about highlighting what some governors and secretaries of state have done, which was unilaterally change election law.”
Schmidt said LaTurner was lying.
“He ran and hid when the Capitol was attacked, when police officers were getting the s*** beat out of them with lead pipes and American flags,” Schmidt said. “And then he gave the criminals exactly what they wanted. For no reason, without any evidence, he voted to overturn election results in three states.”
Schmidt referenced reports that another congressman asked President Donald Trump to issue a pardon to protect the 147 members of the House and Senate who voted to decertify the election results.
“I’ve never needed a pardon in a job I’ve been on in less than a week,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt described the Jan. 6, 2021, attack as a “criminal conspiracy” and said it was important to hold the architects of that conspiracy accountable.
“Instead of denouncing what happened, Jake continued to seek the endorsement of the porn star president that led that attack,” Schmidt said.
LaTurner complained that Schmidt had “tried to connect me to criminal conspiracies and seeking a pardon, which just flat out is not true.”
“What happened on Jan. 6 is horrific,” LaTurner said. “I was there that day with my wife and four kids. What I’ve said from the very beginning, on the day, is that this cannot take place in the United States of America. We need to make sure that everyone that broke the law that day is held accountable.”
