COMPILATION AND COMMENTARY
BY LUCY WARNER
MAY 19, 2021
THE FACT THAT THIRTY-FIVE
REPUBLICANS BROKE RANKS IN THE HOUSE AND VOTED FOR THIS DEMOCRATIC BILL, WHICH
MITCH MCCONNELL AND OTHERS HAVE PLEDGED TO FIGHT, SHOWS THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST
SOME REPUBLICANS WHO WILL NOT ALWAYS BOW TO PARTY LEADERSHIP.
I HOPE THAT ALL
OF THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE, INCLUDING SENATORS JOE MANCHIN AND KIRSTEN SINEMA,
WILL VOTE FOR THE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6, 2021, SO THAT IT
DOES PASS AND BECOME LAW. FAILING TO INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY EVERYTHING ABOUT THE
DAY AND THE PERIOD LEADING UP TO IT WOULD BE TRULY SHAMEFUL.
House sends bill creating January 6 commission to the Senate
Annie Grayer
By Annie Grayer, CNN
Updated 8:43 PM ET, Wed May 19, 2021
VIDEO -- Watch
the moment the House passes bill to create January 6 commission, CNN
(CNN)The House
voted Wednesday to approve legislation to establish an independent commission
to investigate the violent insurrection on January 6 at the US Capitol, with 35
Republicans breaking with their party to support the bill.
The final vote
was 252-175. The GOP defections showcased a significant break with Republican
leadership in the chamber and former President Donald Trump, who urged members
to vote against the legislation.
The bill now
moves to the Senate where it faces an uncertain fate as GOP resistance is
growing.
Wednesday's
vote, which came as some Republicans have tried to downplay the violence that
occurred on January 6 and align themselves with Trump's version of reality, was
still opposed by most rank-and-file Republicans, after House GOP leaders
mobilized against the agreement that had been struck by fellow Republican Rep.
John Katko of New York.
The margins are
an important indicator because just how many House Republicans are willing to
buck their party leadership may offer an early signal for how many GOP senators
could back the bill. Supporters of the plan will need at least 10 Republicans
in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a
60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.
Senate Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he is opposed to the bill but wouldn't
tell reporters if he'd actively whip his fellow Republicans against it.
Moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said Wednesday changes would have to
be made to the bill before she could support it.
As the path
forward on the January 6 commission bill is growing increasingly rocky in the
Senate, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN "of course" he
would pursue a select committee to investigate what happened on January 6 if
the bill to create an independent commission fails in the Senate.
"We are
going to pursue this one way or the other," Hoyer said. "Any attempt
to obfuscate, to hide and dissemble will not succeed."
Ahead of the
vote, Minority Whip Steve Scalise's office sent a letter to members informing
them that the leadership was now advocating Republicans vote against the
legislation, which was a reversal from GOP leadership's previous position to
not lobby their members on the measure.
RELATED ARTICLE
-- Republican congressman calls out 'bogus' claims by GOP colleagues
downplaying Capitol riot
The vote marks
an end to a four-month-long stalemate over negotiations, as Republicans and
Democrats struggled to agree on the focus and scope of a commission. While
Democrats had wanted the commission to focus exclusively on the events leading
to January 6, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and others had suggested
that the panel also investigate Black Lives Matter protests of last summer,
Antifa, and the death of Capitol Police Officer William "Billy"
Evans, who was killed outside the Capitol in April.
House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi tapped Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi
Democrat, to work with Katko, who was one of 10 Republicans to vote to impeach
then-President Donald Trump, to put together this deal. When Thompson and Katko
announced last week that they had reached a deal, McCarthy told reporters he
had not read through the proposal or signed off on it, foreshadowing that
Republicans were not in lockstep on their position on the legislation.
Thompson tried
to discredit the narrative McCarthy has been peddling, that he wasn't included
in negotiations in the lead up to the deal's announcement, on Wednesday ahead
of the vote.
"It's
quite unfortunate that the Minority Leader has, at the last moment, raised issues
that, basically, we had gone past, and there was no issue, despite all his talk
now. But I guess that's politics," Thompson told reporters on Wednesday.
After the vote,
Thompson expressed optimism that the bill could pass the Senate if the
chamber's Republicans are allowed to vote freely.
"Well, I
am optimistic that it will pass," Thompson told CNN's Erin Burnett on
"OutFront." "People said we would not get more than 20 votes in
the House from Republicans. We got 35. I am optimistic on the Senate side. If
senators are allowed and not arm twisted to go the other way, we'll get
it."
The bill
lawmakers voted on would create a 10-person commission, with each party getting
an equal number of appointments and subpoena power, a key provision that
McCarthy had said he wanted early on in negotiations. The legislation tasks the
panel with examining "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."
McCarthy announces
opposition Tuesday
In a statement
Tuesday announcing his opposition to the deal, McCarthy accused Pelosi, a
California Democrat, of failing to negotiate in good faith, argued that a
commission would get in the way of investigations already underway and said any
commission needed to look at episodes of political violence beyond January 6.
"Given the
political misdirections that have marred this process, given the now
duplicative and potentially counterproductive nature of this effort, and given
the Speaker's shortsighted scope that does not examine interrelated forms of
political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation,"
McCarthy said.
RELATD ARTICLE
-- McCarthy's bid to quash January 6 commission underscores GOP split on Trump
Pelosi
responded to McCarthy's opposition to the deal in a statement by saying,
"Democrats made repeated efforts to seek a bipartisan compromise. But
Leader McCarthy won't take yes for an answer."
Despite
McCarthy's opposition, Katko told reporters on Tuesday that he still believed
the bill was a good deal.
"I
appreciate that he's allowing us to vote the way we want to vote, and I
appreciate him respecting the fact that we brought the bill to a good place.
And not everyone is going to agree on every bill," Katko said.
When pressed on
McCarthy's opposition, Katko pushed back, arguing, "I'm not sure he said
it was a bad deal, but he doesn't ultimately support it, and that's fine. It's
his prerogative, but he's allowing it to go forward and we are going forward
with it. And that speaks volumes of him as a leader."
Katko said he
did not know that he did not have McCarthy's support when it was first
announced that a deal had been reached last week but said, "It doesn't
matter."
"People
can disagree, but I appreciate the way he's handled this and he's appreciated
the way I've handled this," he said.
Democratic
leaders seek bipartisan support
The Problem
Solvers Caucus, a group of 29 Democratic and 29 Republican House lawmakers who
include Katko, said in a news release late Tuesday that the group endorses the
bill.
But McCarthy's
opposition has left many rank-and-file Republicans undecided about where they
stand.
RELATED ARTICLE
-- The real reasons for why Kevin McCarthy is afraid of a January 6 commission
Rep. Don Bacon,
a Nebraska Republican who's a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus and told CNN
he will support the bill, commented on how McCarthy's opposition to the
legislation is affecting members.
"People
aren't sure what they're doing on this. I think they're still debating
it," Bacon said.
Several
Republicans have echoed McCarthy's concerns about the narrow scope of the
commission in explaining their opposition in the lead-up to the vote.
"The
Republican leader wants a broader mandate, which I certainly think is
appropriate," said GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. "I don't know what we
are going to be looking at without ... looking at the Officer Evans tragedy, so
you just never know."
Rep. Tom Cole
of Oklahoma told CNN, "I'm not pleased with what I've seen so far,"
adding, "though I got to compliment both the chairman and the ranking
member. They worked hard, but I'd like to see something more expansive than
we've seen."
Republicans who
voted to impeach Trump show support for commission
All 10
Republicans who voted to impeach Trump earlier this year voted in support of
the commission on Wednesday.
Even though
House Republican leadership encouraged members to vote against the bill, some
GOP lawmakers came out strongly in support of the legislation or at least
hinted ahead of the vote they were leaning toward getting on board. Over the
weekend, Republican Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Fred Upton of Michigan
joined Katko in coming out in strong support of the bipartisan deal.
Rep. Anthony
Gonzalez of Ohio, another of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump,
outlined why he is supporting the bill.
"I think
it's necessary just given what actually happened on that day and all the
buildup. I think it's important that you know when the country and the Capitol
is attacked that way that we take a full accounting and figure out how to
prevent it going forward," Gonzalez said.
RELATED ARTICLE
-- Capitol riot vote forces Republicans to pick truth or Trump
Bacon, in
explaining why he will support the legislation, told CNN, "We should know
why security was ill prepared and broken that day."
Rep. Adam
Kinzinger, an ally of Cheney who also voted to impeach Trump and has been
increasingly critical of McCarthy, also came out in support of the January 6
commission ahead of the vote.
"We cannot
let fear stop us from doing what is right. This week, I will proudly vote in
support of the bipartisan January 6th commission and hope it is successful in
shedding light on the truth," the Illinois Republican said in a statement.
But the
Republican split in the House over the January 6 commission legislation has led
to further confusion in the Senate.
This story and
headline have been updated with additional developments Wednesday.
CNN's Manu
Raju, Lauren Fox, Jeremy Herb, Ted Barrett and Ryan Nobles contributed to this
report.
ONE ASPECT
STRIKES ME IN PARTICULAR IN THIS ARTICLE. SOME PEOPLE HAVE CRITICIZED THE
POLICE OFFICERS FOR “BEING POLITICAL.” AN ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE WITH THE ORDERLY
CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP THAT DEFINES OUR NATION WAS MADE ON JANUARY 6, 2021 AND
BRUTAL VIOLENCE WAS USED BY THESE “PATRIOTS.” THAT IS NOT AN EXAGGERATION. LOOK
AT THE MANY VIDEO CLIPS OF EVENTS AS THEY WERE OCCURRING AND AT THE FACIAL
EXPRESSIONS OF THE PEOPLE PERPETRATING IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A MATTER OF
POLITICS AT ALL. IT IS A CRIME. MAYBE WE NEED MORE CLEARLY STATED LAWS SO THAT ARMED
INSURRECTION AND MURDER WON’T BE ALLOWED IN THE FUTURE TO PASS AS LEGITIMATE
ACTIONS.
Anonymous Capitol Police letter to spur support for Jan. 6 probe causes stir
BY MIKE LILLIS - 05/19/21 09:10 PM EDT
A last-minute
Democratic effort to drum up support for a Jan. 6 investigative commission
caused a brief stir on Capitol Hill on Wednesday when Rep. Jamie Raskin
(D-Md.) released a letter from unnamed Capitol Police officers attacking
GOP leaders for their opposition to the bill launching the probe.
The anonymous
letter on official Capitol Police letterhead was sent to congressional offices
shortly before the House voted to approve the bipartisan proposal that would
create a 9/11-style commission to examine the Capitol riot of Jan. 6.
It was notably partisan,
expressing a "profound disappointment" in Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.),
who have emerged this week as vocal opponents of the legislation.
"It is
inconceivable that some of the Members we protect, would downplay the events of
January 6th," the letter read.
It was signed,
cryptically, by "Proud Members of the United States Capitol Police."
Raskin says officers
who dropped off the letter with his office claimed it represented about 40-50
of their colleagues, though neither he nor The Hill were able to verify the
number.
Raskin's office
sent the missive to congressional chiefs of staff just after 4:30 p.m., roughly
two hours before the House would vote on the legislation.
"Mr.
Raskin is hoping your bosses will read this letter, and consider the sentiments
behind it, before the vote," read an accompanying email.
But it wasn't
just the message that caused a stir. That the letter appeared to be composed on
official Capitol Police letterhead prompted confusion about whether the
department had taken the extraordinary step of inserting itself into an
explosive legislative debate just hours before House lawmakers were to vote on
the bill.
The resulting
uproar forced Capitol Police officials to issue a hasty tweet on the official
department account, pushing back stiffly against the notion that the letter
might speak for the department at large.
"A
statement is circulating on social media, which expresses an opinion about the
proposed legislation to create a commission to investigate January 6. This is
NOT an official USCP statement," the tweet read. "The Department has
not way of confirming it was even authored by USCP personnel. The U.S. Capitol
Police does NOT take positions on legislation."
@CapitolPolice
USCP does NOT take positions on legislation.
5:23 PM · May 19, 2021
The commotion
subsided within a few hours. But the brief episode — fueled by social media,
heated emotions and a general distrust between the parties — was emblematic of
the toxic atmosphere on Capitol Hill, where the tensions stemming from the Jan.
6 attack still linger four months after the event.
The effect of
Raskin's lobbying tactic is impossible to gauge. But the legislation sailed
through the House by a vote of 252 to 175, with 35 Republicans bucking
McCarthy, former President Trump and other party leaders to support the
measure.
In an impassioned
speech before the vote, Rep. John Katko (N.Y.), the Republican who had
negotiated the bipartisan agreement, called on lawmakers of both parties to
set aside politics — and honor Capitol Hill's police force — by supporting the
bill.
"Imagine
being a family member of these officers who do this," he said. "So
let's take a deep breath and think about what's really important here. These
people every single day are willing to lay down their lives for us. They
deserve better."
After the vote,
Raskin hailed the unnamed officers who had come to his office, he said, to
deliver their letter.
"They were
traumatized by the events, and they've been extremely upset about the
dissension within Congress over doing such an obvious thing as having a
commission to get to the bottom of these events," Raskin said.
"But they
need a voice, and that's the problem," he continued. "They're not
supposed to be political. And they normally are not political. But they were
involved in essentially medieval combat for four or five hours and had people
beating them up and spitting on them and throwing mace in their face and so on.
And so they feel very strongly about the situation.
"Somehow
their voice is going to have to be heard," he added.
Hundreds of
lawmakers were affected by the Jan. 6 rampage, but Raskin is more invested than
most. Not only was he the lead Democratic prosecutor in Trump's subsequent
impeachment trial, but his Maryland district, which borders Washington, is home
to "at least dozens" of Capitol Police officers, by his
estimation.
"They are
sort of the unheard voice in this whole thing, and they were on the front lines
defending us with their lives," he said. "I hope that Congress will
find appropriate outlets for them to speak publicly and not be afraid that
they'll get in trouble for doing it."
On just one
point was Raskin critical of the letter-writing police officers.
"They
should not have used the letterhead, obviously," he said, laughing.
"But put
it this way," he quickly added. "Their offense is barely a comma in
the encyclopedia of crimes on Jan. 6. So I don't think too many of my
colleagues should be that upset about the fact that they used their official
department letterhead."
"Apparently
they don't have their own," he said.
*Late Capitol Police officer's family urges Congress to agree to Jan....
*Pence's brother will vote against Jan. 6 commission
TAGS MITCH
MCCONNELL KEVIN MCCARTHY DONALD TRUMP JAMIE RASKIN JOHN KATKO
