House of Representatives Minority Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy once supported a January 6 commission to investigate what happened on the day of the uprising, what led to it and why. How could thousands of people storm Capitol Hill and at least hundreds break through the halls of Congress in an attempted coup when lawmakers met to fulfill their constitutional responsibility to uphold the results of a free and fair election?
Last week, McCarthy threw cold water on a bipartisan agreement for a bill that would create the group. Now, on Tuesday, he announced that he would completely reject a commission.
Given his previous stance, the alleged screaming phone call he made with then-President Donald Trump during the attack on the Capitol, his speech in the House of Commons after the uprising, and his now-undone claim that Trump was responsible, that’s quite a lot Turn for the riot.
Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives lied about the riot last week, with one claiming “there was no riot” and another insisting it looked like a normal tourist visit. The goal of the GOP: To make Americans believe it didn’t happen.
A January 6 commission would do the opposite.
“Given the political misdirections that tarnished this process, given the now duplicative and potentially counterproductive nature of these efforts, and given the short-sighted scope of the speaker who does not examine related forms of political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation,” McCarthy said in a statement. “The Democrats’ renewed focus on setting up an additional commission now ignores the political violence that has plagued American cities, a Republican Congress baseball drill and, most recently, the deadly attack on the Capitol Police on April 2, 2021.”
Republicans have tried to equate the nationwide, almost entirely peaceful protests against Black Lives Matter with the Capitol coup in hopes of using the commission as a political tool to attack the Democrats.
“Of course,” McCarthy is against the commission, says Jennifer Bendery, senior policy reporter for HuffPost. “Trump’s lies about electoral fraud fueled a violent mob – and GOP people like McCarthy repeated those lies for months.”
“Don’t forget that McCarthy reinforced Trump’s lies more than anyone,” she adds. “After Biden won, on Fox News: ‘Trump won this election. Everyone who listens: don’t be quiet. Don’t be silent about it. We cannot allow this to happen in front of our eyes. ‘”
Attorney and former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa adds:
McCarthy is a key witness on Jan. 6 and has a self-interest not to expose what happened (or to testify). This is a repetition of the GOP’s attempt to sink the investigation into Russia and, later, the impeachment of Ukraine. Rinse and repeat. https://t.co/cVFLSsriFd
– Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 18, 2021
Other journalists, legal experts, and political commentators also deliberate and share why they think McCarthy has made a complete U-turn. Many suggest that he oppose the commission because he bears some responsibility for what happened on January 6th.
As one of the people who spoke to Donald Trump during the uprising, Kevin McCarthy must testify. He has direct knowledge and a first hand report. His talks with Trump that day are in no way privileged. https://t.co/qlb3io864T
– Jennifer Hayden (@Scout_Finch) May 18, 2021
Sorta feels like an “open air cover-up”. https://t.co/90GrHppEP2
– Glenn Kirschner (@ glennkirschner2) May 18, 2021
As a reminder, when McCarthy was hiding from the insurgents, he found Trump so disinterested on the phone that he called Fox News live to try to get the President to understand the gravity of the situation https://t.co/ DNLQX5KkE6
– Adam Weinstein (@AdamWeinstein) May 18, 2021
Kevin McCarthy is nothing more than a spineless fool and a traitor to our democracy. Repeat what he said and tell of his actions during the uprising when he begged for help! Https: //t.co/HNfx0HKj9e
– Amy Siskind 🏳️🌈 (@Amy_Siskind) May 18, 2021
McCarthy’s stated reason for opposing the January 6th commission is that Pelosi “refused to negotiate in good faith on basic parameters”.
With the exception of Pelosi, practically all of the GOP’s demands:
* same representation
* Shared subpoena
* Report due by the end of the year
– Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) May 18, 2021
It should come as no surprise, then, that Kevin McCarthy will do everything in his power to deny, derail, and discredit a commission focused on the January 6th events.
Dems know that for sure.
– Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) May 18, 2021
This tweet from Kevin McCarthy is still active and compares Biden’s election victory to a “fight”. pic.twitter.com/z6kjLh3n91
– Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) May 18, 2021
We know GOP members have given tours of the Capitol. We know they spoke at the rally. We know they communicated with the terrorists. We know McCarthy asked Trump for help. We now know @GOPLeader is dying to cover it up. Investigate Congress Now! #NeverMoveOn
– Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) May 18, 2021
3 / More important in their minds is something darker.
They see the majority under control and, like this year in the states, they will strike quickly, mercilessly, and without hesitation to make the next election the last.
– Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) May 18, 2021
4 / For them the problem was not an attack on our republic and a democratic election. For Kevin and Co, the problem was that it didn’t work the first time. You need the shock and awe, the spectacle, the Trumphadi terror threat out there.
– Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) May 18, 2021
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