House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is accusing Republicans of showing ‘cowardice’ by opposing legislation to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Pelosi said, “I’m very pleased that we have a bipartisan bill to come to the floor.”
“And [it’s] disappointing but not surprising that the cowardice on the part of some on the Republican side not to want to find the truth,” she added.
Last week, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.) unveiled a bill to create a 9/11 style commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The panel would be made up of five Republicans and five Democrats and would be given subpoena power and charged with investigating the days leading to January 6 and the violence.
Additionally, it would look at why supporters of former President Donald Trump broke into the Capitol.
However, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he would oppose the commission as IJR reported.
“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,” he said in a statement.
He also claimed Pelosi “refused to negotiate in good faith” about the scope of the panel.
In a separate statement, Pelosi claimed all of McCarthy’s requests about the commission were included in draft legislation. She said, “In his February 22 letter, he made three requests to be addressed in Democrats’ discussion draft. Every single one was granted by Democrats, yet he still says no.” (from email)
“The American people expect and deserve the truth about what happened on January 6th in a manner that strengthens our Democracy and ensures that January 6th never happens again,” she added.