Capitol riot commission faces GOP resistance in the Senate

After the House passed a bill to establish a commission to investigate the events surrounding Jan. 6, Senate Republicans look poised to torpedo the commission with few Republicans signaling they’d vote with Democrats to support it.

Democrats would need 10 Republican lawmakers to buck their leadership, join Democrats and spend the next several months diving further into the events that shook the Capitol four months ago.

The bottom line: In the last three days, the shift among Senate Republicans here has been rapid with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell laying the groundwork to educate his members on what he views as potential shortcomings and pitfalls of another investigative body. The evolution here has been swift and to underscore that, look no further than two GOP senators from South Dakota. On Monday, Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune seemed open to a potential commission. In the days that have followed, they’ve made it clear they are far more likely now to vote no.

Read more here.

All eyes are on the US Senate and whether 10 Republican lawmakers will buck their leadership to support a bill to establish a commission that would investigate the violent insurrection on Jan. 6 at the US Capitol.

The bill passed the House Wednesday after 35 Republicans broke with their party to vote for it.

CNN congressional correspondent Jessica Dean was live from Capitol Hill. Watch more:

Many Republican senators are making clear to CNN they will vote to prevent debate from even beginning on the Jan. 6 commission, increasing the chances that the Senate will block debate on the bill.

The first test vote could happen next week. If successful, it could be the first successful GOP legislative filibuster this Congress.

Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who voted to convict former President Trump, told CNN he would vote to block debate on the bill over his concerns that the probe is unneeded. 

The legislation will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.

As it stands now, there are not 10 GOP senators who have signed on to the measure. 

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki gestures during a press conference in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on May 20, in Washington, DC.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday the White House was still hopeful that the Senate would pass bipartisan legislation forming a commission to investigate the events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, telling reporters, “the attack on the Capitol on January 6 was an unprecedented assault on our democracy demands a full and independent investigation into what happened.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that her “overwhelming preference” is for a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission, when asked by CNN if she is committed to a select committee if legislation to establish a commission fails in the Senate.

But she expressed openness to the option last month, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN “of course” when asked on Wednesday if he would pursue a select committee to investigate if the bill to create the independent commission fails in the Senate.

Psaki declined to weigh in on the possibility of a select committee Thursday, telling reporters at the White House, despite steep headwinds in the Senate, “Obviously, our hope is that the Senate Republicans do the right thing, put policy partisan politics aside and vote in a way that supports the preservation of our democracy, of our Constitution. They have the opportunity to do that. If they don’t have it, we’ll have a conversation about it.” 

Psaki said she would inquire following a letter from Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone regarding the ongoing trauma he and other officers experienced on Jan. 6.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks with reporters after voting on the establishment of a commission to investigate the events of January 6 on May 19, in Washington, DC.

Though he continued to rail against the House-passed legislation to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol insurrection, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said for the first time on Thursday he would be willing to testify about his conversations with former President Trump on Jan. 6 if he were compelled to do so.

“Sure, next question,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju when asked if he would cooperate with an investigation by an outside commission.

McCarthy said he was “not at all surprised” that 35 House Republicans voted with Democrats in favor of the bill to establish the commission, despite his own staunch opposition to it. “I thought it would probably be higher,” he added.

The California Republican accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of “playing politics” with the commission and reiterated his wishes for a broader scope for a probe.

The bill, which passed in the House yesterday, now faces an uphill battle in the Senate. The legislation will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill. Like McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he is opposed to the bill.

CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed reporting to this post. 

Former President Trump is chastising the 35 House Republicans who broke party ranks on Wednesday to support the creation of an independent commission to study the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. 

“They just can’t help themselves,” Trump said of the GOP defectors in a statement Thursday afternoon. 

Calling Republicans who supported the legislation “weak and ineffective,” Trump charged that Democrats have a much easier time sticking together on votes than his party. 

“They don’t have the Romney’s, Little Ben Sasse’s and Cheney’s of the world,” he contended, referring to Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who supported the bill in a floor vote Wednesday afternoon and Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Ben Sasse of Nebraska, who have expressed potential support in the Senate. 

Trump’s statement comes just 24 hours after he urged House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, to oppose the commission, the terms of which had been negotiated on a bipartisan basis, and ensure their members followed suit. 

It is unclear just how many Senate Republicans will vote in favor of the commission once it is introduced in the upper chamber.

Supporters of the plan will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.

McConnell announced Wednesday that he opposes the bill, but didn’t tell reporters whether he’d actively whip his fellow Republicans against it.

CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed reporting to this post. 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy speaks with reporters after voting on the establishment of a commission to investigate the events of January 6 on May 19, in Washington, DC.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy made clear on Thursday that he would oppose the creation of a select committee in the House to investigate the Jan. 6 attack.

Asked by CNN if he would also be willing to testify before a potential select committee, minutes after he expressed openness to testifying before an outside commission if one were established, McCarthy answered, “there is no select committee in the House.”

McCarthy railed against the possibility of a “Pelosi select committee,” telling reporters “the speaker should’ve not played politics.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday that her “overwhelming preference” is for a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission, when asked by CNN if she is committed to a select committee if legislation to establish a commission fails in the Senate.

But she expressed openness to the option last month, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told CNN “of course” when asked on Wednesday if he would pursue a select committee to investigate if the bill to create the independent commission fails in the Senate.

Sen. Richard Burr speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on May 11, in Washington, DC.

Sen. Richard Burr, one of the seven GOP senators to vote for former President Trump’s impeachment, explained his opposition today to the Jan. 6 commission, which tracks largely with what he told reporters yesterday.

His opposition all but torpedoes any hope of getting 10 Republican senators. 

“I don’t believe establishing a new commission is necessary or wise,” Burr said in a statement. 

Some more context: The bill, which passed in the House yesterday, will need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he is opposed to the bill but wouldn’t tell reporters if he’d actively whip his fellow Republicans against it.

The House has narrowly passed a $1.9 billion spending bill to increase security at the US Capitol in response to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection as progressives almost sunk the bill. 

The final vote was 213-212, with 3 voting present. Progressives almost blocked the bill in a last minute effort because they did not support the funding in the legislation that would go to the police. The three present were: Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The three no votes were: Reps. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley. 

The bill now heads to the Senate before it can go to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

The $1.9 billion legislation was developed in response to the findings and recommendations of a task force led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, who was tasked by Pelosi to lead a review of Capitol security after the insurrection.

Here’s what is in the bill:

Read more about today’s vote here.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi holds her weekly press conference at the Capitol on May 20, in Washington, DC.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that her “overwhelming preference” is for a bipartisan Jan. 6 commission to be created, but she noted that “everybody knows what my options are, they are no secret.”

Pelosi downplayed concerns over GOP resistance in the Senate, saying that “I don’t think that what we’ve heard from the Senate is so bad compared to what we usually hear from the Senate.”

Later, she signaled that the commission bill might be altered in the Senate.

“We want to bring it to the floor when it is ready – for them to bring it to the floor when it is ready. They may have some modifications in it, which we would see what they are,” Pelosi said.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 20.

The House is now voting on the bill to allocate $1.9 billion in spending to increase security at the Capitol in response to the deadly January 6 insurrection.

Democratic leadership is whipping votes last minute, as it is expected to be tight.

The sweeping legislation, introduced by House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, covers a range of priorities, including funding to enhance security across the Capitol grounds as well as provisions to bolster protections and increase preparedness for lawmakers, including at their district offices, and the Capitol Police force.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN she is not worried about getting votes to pass the security supplemental, even though House Democratic leadership was seen whipping votes ahead of the final vote and even delayed the start of the vote as they negotiated on the House floor.

“No” Pelosi told CNN when asked if she was worried about not having the votes to pass the security supplemental.

US Senator John Thune questions US Trade Representative Katherine Tai as she testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, May 12.

Sen. John Thune, the Republican whip, said he will not be advertising whether or not he is going to whip the bill on the Jan. 6 commission. This follows an announcement Wednesday that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was not supportive of the bill and as the legislation is imperiled in the Senate.

Asked if the commission is dead, he said, “I don’t know. We will see. It came out of the House.”

What’s next: The House voted to pass the legislation yesterday. Now, supporters of the plan will now need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday put the House-passed bill to create a Jan. 6 commission on the Senate legislative calendar.

He repeated how he intends to bring the bill for a vote, but declined to share a specific timeline just saying it’ll be “very soon.”

Schumer said he hopes “enough of my Republican colleagues will step up and join with Democrats to establish the commission.”

The New York Democrat criticized Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell for coming out against to the Jan. 6 commission.

Schumer also, without naming him, blasted Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, for his argument on Fox News last night that the Jan. 6 Capitol attack ”wasn’t” an insurrection, but in fact “by and large a peaceful protest.”

Schumer said, “If there was ever a justification for creating a bipartisan commission to study and report on the attack of January 6 the comments of that senator provide it.”  

He also argued many GOP in both chambers are trying to “rewrite history.”

“Republicans in both chambers are trying to rewrite history in fealty to or in fear of the former President Donald Trump, Republicans in both chambers are trying to erase the memory of January 6 and perpetuate the ‘Big Lie,’” Schumer said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that the 35 Republican members who voted to support a measure that would form an independent commission to investigate the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 signals that the bill is a bipartisan effort.

“I would like to have the trust that the Senate wants to find the truth as well. And let’s just give them a chance to do that without hanging something over them about a timetable or other options that exist for the Speaker of the House,” the Democratic leader said of the process that now awaits the Senate.

Pelosi also noted “the courage” of Republicans who have said the 2020 presidential election results were legitimate.

“When we think of the Republicans and the courage that they’ve had in the electoral system in our country, and the election decisions that have been made to support… the fact that the election was legitimate. Many Republicans were the ones who came forward. So, I think that there’s some courage that needs to be recognized in the party,” she said.

Rep. Bennie Thompson answers questions during a press conference on the establishment of a commission to investigate the events surrounding January 6 at the Capitol on May 19, in Washington, DC.

The House is expected to vote today to approve a $1.9 billion spending bill to increase security at the US Capitol in response to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection.

The sweeping legislation, introduced by House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, covers a range of priorities, including funding to enhance security across the Capitol grounds as well as provisions to bolster protections and increase preparedness for lawmakers, including at their district offices, and the Capitol Police force.

The push to increase security is part of a multi-pronged approach by congressional Democrats to respond to the January attack. The House voted on Wednesday to pass legislation establishing an independent commission that would investigate the violent insurrection. After the House takes up the bill, it would also need to pass the Senate before it could go to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

The $1.9 billion legislation was developed in response to the findings and recommendations of a task force led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré, who was tasked by Pelosi to lead a review of Capitol security after the insurrection.

Here’s what is in the bill:

Read more about today’s vote here.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi answers questions at a press conference on the establishment of a commission to investigate the events surrounding January 6 at the Capitol on May 19, in Washington, DC.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi strongly suggested yesterday that she would approve a select committee in the House to investigate what led to the Jan. 6 insurrection, if a vote to form the commission fails in the Senate.

When asked if she was ready to take this other path, she insisted, “I don’t want to,” before adding that, “we will find the truth.”  

“It’s not a question of doing this – something in addition to this,” meaning the Commission. “It’s a question of, if they don’t want to do this, we will.”

Asked if Republicans were afraid of the commission, due to the possibility that it could subpoena House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy or former President Trump, Pelosi said, “It sounds like they are afraid of the truth and that’s most unfortunate,” adding, “but hopefully they’ll get used to the idea that the American people want us to find the truth, and that is what we intend to do.”

Before the House voted to pass the legislation, Pelosi outlined on the floor just why she is pushing for Congress to create a commission instead of a select committee.

Some more context: The outside commission is different from a select committee because it would be comprised of people outside of Congress, with both parties making joint decisions on subpoenas. And there would be 10 commissioners equally divided between the two parties.

The House voted yesterday on legislation to create an independent and bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The final vote was 252-175, with 35 Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the legislation.

Supporters of the plan will now need at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to join all 50 Democrats in the chamber in order to overcome a 60-vote filibuster and pass the bill. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, like House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, said he is opposed to the commission.

McConnell wouldn’t tell reporters Wednesday if he’d actively whip his fellow Republicans against it. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi strongly suggested yesterday that she would approve a select committee in the House to investigate what led to the Jan. 6 insurrection if a vote to form the commission fails in the Senate.

Here are key things to know about the commission:

Read more about the commission here.

In the last several days, CNN’s congressional team has been running our own whip count of how members are viewing the commission on the GOP side.

This list isn’t comprehensive, but it gives a glimpse of where about half of the conference stands right now. Expect in upcoming hours for the “no” votes to grow.

GOP senators planning to vote no:

GOP senators who may vote yes:

GOP senators who’ve expressed concerns about the House bill:

Who could vote yes? A good place to start is the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump on impeachment. But even then, you are still three members short. And some of the members who voted to convict Trump have already said they have concerns about the commission.

Read more about where things stand in the Senate here.

Sen. Dick Shelby, a Republican from Alabama, says he has issues with the potential Jan. 6 commission, and it’s his view that the bill isn’t going to pass.

He said Republicans have issues with its “political overtones” and “if it’s not dead, it’s been slow-walked and is short of breath.”

Some more context: The House voted yesterday to approve legislation to establish an independent and bipartisan commission to investigate the violent insurrection on Jan. 6, with 35 Republicans breaking with their party to support the bill.

The bill is now set to move to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he will bring it up for a vote.

After the House passed a bill to establish a commission to investigate the events surrounding Jan. 6, Senate Republicans look poised to torpedo the commission with few Republicans signaling they’d vote with Democrats to support it.

Democrats would need at least 10 Republican lawmakers to buck their leadership, join Democrats and spend the next several months diving further into the events that shook the Capitol four months ago.

The bottom line: In the last three days, the shift among Senate Republicans here has been rapid with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell laying the groundwork to educate his members on what he views as potential shortcomings and pitfalls of another investigative body. The evolution here has been swift and to underscore that, look no further than two GOP senators from South Dakota. On Monday, Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune seemed open to a potential commission. In the days that have followed, they’ve made it clear they are far more likely now to vote no.

The timeline: Majority Leader Chuck Schumer moved Wednesday night to bring up the House’s passed commission bill to the Senate floor as soon as next week. There’s a reason they are moving quickly. The momentum, aides believe, is there to keep the pressure on. That’s hardly a guarantee it will pass, but keeping the pressure on and options open is important for Democrats right now.

Behind the scenes: McConnell has been working his members in the classic way: not telling them what to do, but instead laying out what a commission would actually mean for them day to day. A key point McConnell and Republicans like Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri have been making to rank and file is that there are already bodies doing expansive investigative work. You have the Department of Justice, oversight hearings in the House, a bipartisan, multi-committee effort coming from Senate Rules and Homeland that will produce a report in a matter of weeks and no shortage of hearings over the last several months.

A commission, McConnell has argued, would be duplicative. And for a lot of members, that has been convincing. Blunt has also been telling members that if the goal of a commission is to understand security failures and better equip the Capitol, waiting another seven months to get those answers isn’t useful.

Republicans are also keenly aware of what another seven months of investigation into Jan. 6 would mean: more talk of former President Trump, more talk of the big lie, more questions each and every day about a dark day that was the culmination of months of falsehoods and fanning of the flames by many members in the GOP. If the goal is to take back the House and Senate in 2022, that’s not helpful.

Read more here.