(CNSNews.com) - "Look, January 6 was a terrible day," Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) told CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, when host Margaret Brennan asked him if he still supports the former President:
"We have to make sure that never happens again," Gonzales said:
"But it was great to have President Trump back in Texas. And it was a reminder that Trump's policies, President Trump's policies, worked.
"And, right now, we`re in a time where Biden -- Biden is failing us. And so, you know, I welcome any serious presidential candidate to come to Texas, see it firsthand. In particular, come see the border."
As Donald Trump took to the stage at his campaign rally in Waco, Texas on Saturday, he placed his hand over his heart while the song "Justice for All" played over the loudspeakers.
The recording features Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, interspersed with the J6 Prison Choir singing "The Star Spangled Banner."
The choir consists of about 20 men imprisoned for their parts in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Proceeds from the recording go to legal aid for January 6th defendants.
Brennan repeatedly pressed Gonzales on January 6th and what she called Trump's "lionizing" of those who were prosecuted for the January 6th attack on the Capitol:
"The rhetoric is absolutely out of control on both sides, on all sides," Gonzales replied:
"But I would also see -- I see President Trump, honestly, being attacked, being demonized on all these different fronts. You know, things that are happening to him in regards to the classified documentation, similar -- similar things happen to President Biden, and you don't see those things.
"I think a lot of people are done with the political rhetoric. They want solutions. And whichever presidential candidate is going to bring real solutions to their lives is going to get their vote."
Brennan didn't give up, asking Gonzales, "But this is a line that you feel you can't cross when it comes to criticizing what the former president did with lionizing January 6 attackers?"
"Well, I spent 20 years in the Navy....I'm always going to fight for what I believe is right," Gonzales said:
"And what I see right now is, people are fed up with the environment that is happening. They're fed up with the rhetoric. They're tired of inflation. They're tired of the border crisis. They're tired of the national security policy.
"And they want real action. And whoever delivers that for them is going to get their vote, whether that's President Trump and -- or anyone else. So I think that's the part people are missing out on."
Brennan tried again: "Including those who attacked law enforcement as they did on that day? That -- that part has to bother you," she told Gonzales.
"Look, January 6 should never have happened," Gonzales said. "And those that are -- that -- that have -- found wrong for doing that, they need to be held to this -- the highest standard. I absolutely agree with that."
"Well, they were singing last night as the walk-on song for the former president of the United States," Brennan said again. "Seventeen of the 20 inmates held in that jail were accused of assaulting law enforcement. That's the walk-on song," she said.
"There is no room for anyone that assaults law enforcement, right, similar to what happened in -- in Oregon or anywhere else throughout our country," Gonzales said.
"We have to absolutely be -- surround our law enforcement and ensure -- they have the toughest job right now. You have to get it right every single time.
"So, now's not the time to attack law enforcement," he said.
Brennan changed the subject at that point, steering the conversation to border security and immigration, topics that are priorities for Gonzales.