House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday that he opposes a bipartisan agreement for an independent commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
In a lengthy statement a day before the House is set to vote on the measure, McCarthy suggested such investigation would be unfair to Republicans, saying that Democrats didn’t negotiate fairly with Republicans and argued that multiple investigations into the riot already exist.
“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,” McCarthy said, according to CNN.
The Republican leader also argued that bipartisan investigations are ongoing by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee and the Architect of the Capitol’s office.
McCarthy’s opposition comes ahead of a House vote this week to create the panel modeled after the 9/11 Commission, which would be tasked with investigating the circumstances behind supporters of then-President Donald Trump breaching the Capitol to try to stop Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote for President Joe Biden.
The legislation is the product of a compromise announced Friday by the top Democrat and Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and John Katko, R-N.Y., who reached a deal on the guidelines for the panel to model it after the 9/11 Commission.
The commission will have the authority to issue subpoenas to secure information to carry out its investigation.
Assuming the legislation passes the Democratic-controlled House, the Senate would require bipartisan agreement to overcome the filibuster.
