Following a revelation and accusations of nepotism, Republican lawmakers and commentators are openly defending Buckley Carlson, the communications director for Indiana’s Rep. Jim Banks and the son of Fox News personality Tucker Carlson.
In a contentious chat over the weekend, the elder Carlson reportedly threatened to accuse Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, the head of the House Republican campaign committee, of making the reference to his son’s hiring in another report.
Tuesday morning, IndyStar contacted Buckley Carlson and Banks’ office for a response.
Carlson became upset after reading a Daily Beast article in which a GOP strategist who claimed to be connected to Emmer used Buckley as an example of Banks’ flawed MAGA support.
Axios reports that Carlson blames his office and did not fix the issue with Emmer after the phone chat.
Many people have said that Buckley Carlson’s position and the recent tweetstorm are the product of “nepotism,” while prominent Republicans like Donald Trump Jr. and Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have attacked Emmer.
Emmer was called a coward for “trying to throw the staff of another member of Congress under the bus” in a subsequent tweet from Trump Jr.
Three candidates, including Banks and Emmer, are squabbling for the position of House Majority Whip in the event the Republicans win the election.
Since 2016, Banks has represented Indiana’s third congressional district. Nov. 8 is his reelection date.
