Former President Donald Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy are also against the commission proposal.
Mitch McConnell’s opposition to a bipartisan proposal to independently investigate the Capitol insurrection is turning GOP senators against the bill, potentially dooming its prospects in the Senate.
The Senate minority leader informed Republicans on Wednesday that he is opposed to the 9/11-style commission that would probe the deadly Jan. 6 riot, as envisioned by the House. And in the wake of McConnell’s remarks, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) — who had expressed support on Tuesday for the idea — said he could no longer back the commission in its current form.
“We’ve had a chance to hear from House leadership about what they saw in the bill. It doesn’t appear right now that they believe that it is bipartisan in nature, which to me is extremely disappointing,” Rounds said. “The way that the bill is written right now, I would feel compelled to vote against it.”
McConnell made his remarks opposing the House’s Jan. 6 commission bill, which is expected to pass that chamber later Wednesday, at a private breakfast event. A number of Republican senators attended, including Rounds, as well as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
McConnell had signaled on Tuesday that he was undecided but came down more firmly after another day of deliberations and explained his views in a Wednesday floor speech. The Kentucky Republican called the House’s proposal “slanted and unbalanced” and said the ongoing congressional investigations are sufficient to probe the pro-Trump riot at the Capitol.
“It’s not at all clear what new facts or additional investigation yet another commission could lay on top of the existing efforts by law enforcement and Congress,” McConnell said.
While as many as several dozen House Republicans appear ready to join Democrats to back the commission bill, McConnell’s resistance suggests it’s likely to fall to a Senate GOP filibuster if major changes aren’t made. The 50-member Republican minority has mounted zero filibusters on the Senate floor so far this year — and although McConnell no longer speaks to or talks about the former president, his conference may now obstruct its first bill while falling in line with Trump.
Even supporters of the commission concept like Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah), both of whom voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, said they want reassurances or changes made to the House bill before they can guarantee their support.
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Mitch McConnell’s opposition to a bipartisan proposal to independently investigate the Capitol insurrection is turning GOP senators against the bill, potentially dooming its prospects in the Senate https://t.co/8wLn6DIZXf
— POLITICO (@politico) May 19, 2021
I think January 6 was categorically different than the violence in Portland etc. But the Trumpers simultaneously insist that 1/6 was no big deal *and* compare it to stuff they consider outrages that warranted martial law. Why make that comparison if 1/6 was no big deal? 2/2
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) May 19, 2021
Mitch McConnell: We have nothing to hide but I’m definitely not going to let you down into the basement.
— Schooley (@Rschooley) May 19, 2021
NEWS: MEMBERS of the U.S. Capitol Police have issued a statement to members of Congress expressing "profound disappointment" with McConnell and McCarthy's positions on the Jan. 6 commission, citing the "trauma" that officers endured that day. pic.twitter.com/CRweVhIAnD
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) May 19, 2021
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