Amid a debate over whether Congress should establish a commission to investigate the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, an anonymous Capitol Police Officer says it would be “inconceivable” not to.
There were five fatalities in connection to the Jan. 6 riots, during which a large group of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building as lawmakers gathered to certify Electoral College votes for PresidentJoe Biden.
One of those killed was Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died at 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 from injuries he sustained “while physically engaging with protesters” at the riots, USCP said in astatementat the time.
In an official statement from the Capitol Police, a spokesperson said the department “does NOT take positions on legislation.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosiannounced plansto launch a commission the month after the riots, citing national security concerns and concern for the safety of Congress members.
Pelosi’s statement described it as “an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021 domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex.”
Some five months after the attacks, however, support for such a commission has waned, with some lawmakers even going so far as to dismiss or downplay the events of Jan. 6 entirely. Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde, for instance — who was photographedbarricading a doorto prevent rioters from entering the Capitol rotunda — last week compared the events of that day to a “normal tourist visit.”
This week, both House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellcame out against the legislationthat would establish an independent commission to investigate the attempted insurrection.
In a statement issued Tuesday, McCarthy said the commission would be “potentially counterproductive,” as the federal government is carrying out separate investigations into the Jan. 6 riots.
As written, the bill would create a 10-person panel to look into “the facts and circumstances of the January 6th attack on the Capitol as well as the influencing factors that may have provoked the attack on our democracy.”
The Democrat-controlled Housepassed the bill on Wednesdayin a 252-175 vote. It now heads to the Senate, where it will need the support of at least 10 Republicans in order to pass. President Biden has said hesupports the measure.
source: people.com
