House approves Jan. 6 commission bill
House approves Jan. 6 commission bill
The House on Wednesday approved a measure creating an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, with some rank-and-file Republicans even voting with Democrats in defiance of their party leaders who warned against the effort.
Ahead of the vote, House Democratic leaders argued that they had made several concessions to Republicans to reach a compromise, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying GOP leaders have raised last-minute objections because they're "afraid of the truth."
Asked if House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans are afraid of being subpoenaed to testify before a commission, Pelosi responded, "You have to ask them what they’re afraid of. But it sounds like they are afraid of the truth, and that’s most unfortunate. But hopefully they’ll get used to the idea that the American people want us to find the truth."
"I certainly could call for hearings in the House with a majority of members being Democrats, and full subpoena power, and the agenda being determined by Democrats -- but that’s not the path we have chosen to go," Pelosi asserted. "We wanted the American people to have the fullest confidence in the product that there is."
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who negotiated the agreement with Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., said it was a "shock" when McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters he hadn't seen the agreement when it was announced.
"We have letters from him responding to it, so it’s not like he hadn’t seen it," Thompson said of negotiations. "There were no issues" on McCarthy's part when he was constantly updated by Katko and staff, Thompson continued, "But I guess that's politics."
In floor remarks ahead of the vote, Katko said, "This is about facts, it's not about partisan politics. We would've not gotten to this point if it was about partisan politics."
"The American people expect us to put partisanship aside for the sake our homeland security," he added, calling the deal "reasonable," "nonpartisan" and "nearly identical" to the bill he and 31 other House Republicans introduced to establish a commission in the days after the Jan. 6 attack.
GOP Reps. Fred Upton and Peter Meijer who, like Katko, also supported Trump's impeachment, also spoke in favor of the bill.
"If we avoid confronting what happened here a few short months ago we can ensure that intimidation, coercion and violence will become a defining feature of our politics," Meijer said.
"We need the answers, not political rhetoric, which is what this bipartisan commission can provide for all of us, for our country," Upton said. "Let the truth shine in."
MORE: McConnell announces opposition to bill that would create Jan. 6 commission
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Wednesday morning came out against the measure to create a panel of five Republican and five Democratic appointees, one day after telling reporters he was undecided on the plan.
"After careful consideration I’ve made the decision to oppose the House Democrats’ slanted and unbalanced proposal," he said on the floor.
On Tuesday, McCarthy called the proposal "potentially counterproductive" and "duplicative," while the office of GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who also criticized the measure, advised Republicans to oppose it.
READ MORE: House approves Jan. 6 commission bill https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pe...
The House on Wednesday approved a measure creating an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, with some rank-and-file Republicans even voting with Democrats in defiance of their party leaders who warned against the effort.
Ahead of the vote, House Democratic leaders argued that they had made several concessions to Republicans to reach a compromise, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying GOP leaders have raised last-minute objections because they're "afraid of the truth."
Asked if House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans are afraid of being subpoenaed to testify before a commission, Pelosi responded, "You have to ask them what they’re afraid of. But it sounds like they are afraid of the truth, and that’s most unfortunate. But hopefully they’ll get used to the idea that the American people want us to find the truth."
"I certainly could call for hearings in the House with a majority of members being Democrats, and full subpoena power, and the agenda being determined by Democrats -- but that’s not the path we have chosen to go," Pelosi asserted. "We wanted the American people to have the fullest confidence in the product that there is."
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who negotiated the agreement with Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., said it was a "shock" when McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters he hadn't seen the agreement when it was announced.
"We have letters from him responding to it, so it’s not like he hadn’t seen it," Thompson said of negotiations. "There were no issues" on McCarthy's part when he was constantly updated by Katko and staff, Thompson continued, "But I guess that's politics."
In floor remarks ahead of the vote, Katko said, "This is about facts, it's not about partisan politics. We would've not gotten to this point if it was about partisan politics."
"The American people expect us to put partisanship aside for the sake our homeland security," he added, calling the deal "reasonable," "nonpartisan" and "nearly identical" to the bill he and 31 other House Republicans introduced to establish a commission in the days after the Jan. 6 attack.
GOP Reps. Fred Upton and Peter Meijer who, like Katko, also supported Trump's impeachment, also spoke in favor of the bill.
"If we avoid confronting what happened here a few short months ago we can ensure that intimidation, coercion and violence will become a defining feature of our politics," Meijer said.
"We need the answers, not political rhetoric, which is what this bipartisan commission can provide for all of us, for our country," Upton said. "Let the truth shine in."
MORE: McConnell announces opposition to bill that would create Jan. 6 commission
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Wednesday morning came out against the measure to create a panel of five Republican and five Democratic appointees, one day after telling reporters he was undecided on the plan.
"After careful consideration I’ve made the decision to oppose the House Democrats’ slanted and unbalanced proposal," he said on the floor.
On Tuesday, McCarthy called the proposal "potentially counterproductive" and "duplicative," while the office of GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who also criticized the measure, advised Republicans to oppose it.
READ MORE: House approves Jan. 6 commission bill https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/pe...
Good news, Mitch will hold the line, Pelosi's attempted smear job is another dud. We already know exactly what happened at the Capitol on January 6 Ron. You should not have stolen the election. Now that you've lost on that front, now you turn to the sleaze bags like Andrew Weiismann, Tim O''Brien and that s*****ing bag of hot air, Lawrence O'Donnell, to try and avoid the shame of this failure.