The bill to create a commission to further investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has just been blocked in the Senate after Republicans voted against it. According to CNN, the bill failed in the Senate on Friday (May 28) by a vote of 54 to 35. At least 10 GOP senators were needed to advance the bill, but only six joined Democrats in voting to approve it.
The legislation was passed in the House of Representatives last week, but was expected to meet Republican opposition in the Senate. On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted to the vote.
“Out of fear or fealty to Donald Trump, the Republican minority just prevented the American people from getting the full truth about Jan. 6,” he said. “The Republican minority just prevented the Senate from even debating the bill. No opportunity for amendments, no opportunity for debate.”
“Senate Republicans for months publicly supported the idea of a commission. But now all of a sudden, the Senate minority and the Senate minority leader waged a partisan filibuster against the bill,” Schumer continued. “This vote has made it official: Donald Trump’s big lie has now fully enveloped the Republican party. Trump’s big lie is now the defining principle of what was once the party of Lincoln.”
“Shame on the Republican party for trying to sweep the horrors of that day under the rug because they’re afraid of Donald Trump,” he added.
The proposed 10-person commission would have further investigated the events leading up to and on Jan. 6, including law enforcement’s “preparedness and response.” The panel would have also made recommendations “to prevent future acts of targeted violence and domestic terrorism.”
On Wednesday (May 26), the mother of slain Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick urged senators to approve the bill.
“Not having a Jan. 6 Commission to look into exactly what occurred is a slap in the faces of all the officers who did their jobs that day,” she said.