Despite criticism that the Republican Party is playing down violence during the invasion of Congress in January, party senators have blocked the opening of a bipartisan investigation into the attack on Capitol Hill by supporters of the former President Donald Trump Friday.
Democratic parliamentarians and some moderate Republicans had convened a commission to examine the events leading up to the January 6 tragedy, when hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the seat of the US Legislative Assembly and clashed with the police to avoid certifying Joe Biden’s victory. The violence left five people dead, including an agent from the Capitol.
The request to open an investigation was rejected with 54 votes for and 35 against, therefore below the 60 votes necessary for the legislation to advance in the Senate. “What are you afraid of? The truth?” Responded Democratic House leader Chuck Schumer to the result of the vote.
On the other side, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate leader, argued that the establishment of a commission by the legislature would only duplicate the work done by other congressional committees and the federal criminal investigation that has so far resulted in the arrest of more than 440 people.
Underlying the official rationale is also fear among Republicans that the commission, modeled after a body that investigated the 9/11 attacks, is focusing its efforts on Trump’s continuing violence and false allegations. around the 2020 election. If approved, the commission would operate amid the campaigns for congressional midterm elections next year.
Before the defeat of the Senate, the proposal had been passed by the House of Representatives with the support of all Democrats and one in six Republican. “We can’t pretend that nothing bad happened or that people got really excited. Something bad happened. And it’s important to make it clear,” said Thursday night at the press Senator Lisa Murkowski, who supported the measure.).