GOP Leaders Warm to Idea of January 6 Commission

Will Nancy Pelosi facilitate a truly bipartisan investigation?

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Half of Republicans believe that Antifa was behind the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to a poll conducted by the American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life. Twenty-eight percent of independents believe the same. The same survey found that 66 percent of Republicans believe Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election was not legitimate; nearly 1 in 4 independents hold a similar view. Other polling has produced similar results.

These views are mistaken. And their perpetuation portends growing instability in an already polarized and volatile electorate. What’s to be done?

One obvious step currently being discussed on Capitol Hill: a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate, report, and publicize the truth about January 6 and the events that led to it. But the very partisanship and polarization that such an authoritative investigation would potentially blunt might keep such a commission from becoming a reality at all.

In the aftermath of the acquittal of Donald Trump last weekend, discussion about an independent commission ramped up on both sides of Capitol Hill. Some Republicans are adamantly opposed. For this group, the assault, the impeachment, and the trial are something they survived—both literally and politically. The sooner it’s behind them, the better.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Victor Clairmont

    I actually think this will not help the democrats.

    So far, certain narratives are breaking down. It’s not just the crazy Antifa raided the Capital spin. Which was ludicrous from the right.

    For example (as noted by others), the officer that was widely reported to have been killed by being smashed by a fire hydrant, was not. He got home, texted his family that night he was Ok, and died from a stroke the next day:

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.yahoo.com/amphtml/times-corrects-record-officer-sicknick-204024018.html

    Now, they are trying to say the stroke was because of the riots, but we have no clue till the investigation is done. (NYT’s had to change/update their reporting)


    Also, the zip tie picture that (even David posted I think on twitter?) was not brought into the capital. It was obtained off the desk of one of the police officers. So, it may be false that people expressly let went in with prior intentions to hold hostages (but it’s a fricking angry mob they can do anything), but again, the zip tie thing not being brought inside the building, and obtained inside of it, will break down a little the narrative of hostage taking etc. etc. there’s video evidence of the guy taking them, not wanting the police to use them on the insurrectionists.

    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.insider.com/zip-tie-guy-capitol-riot-plastic-handcuffs-police-prosecutors-2021-1%3famp

    Also, which David (not picking on him I swear!) argued that it was right to shut down Parler since the government wasn’t doing the action necessary...

    It was primarily planned on Facebook, then Youtube it seems. Parler played a very small roll. Out of 200 charges by the feds and investigations gone forth, 73 are related to Facebook, 24 for YouTube, 20 for Instagram (owned by Facebook so add it to the Facebook tally I guess), and only...8 for Parler. Unless people want Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube removed, what happened to Parler (which I heavily contended and still do), was a disgrace and was a politically motivated hit job against a competitor. There was zero excuse for it especially in hindsight now.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2021/02/07/sheryl-sandberg-downplayed-facebooks-role-in-the-capitol-hill-siege-justice-department-files-tell-a-very-different-story/amp/?sh=2a4ec43c10b3&__twitter_impression=true

    Anyhoo, my only point was, (as happens in any hectic event), many initial reports will be wrong. As is all ready being shown. I would be more supportive of this investigation if they actually did a real impeachment trial and investigation previously, but for historical records, sure, do the full thing. Let’s get corrections on the record.

    Finally, one can be against the Capital Hill riots, and want a clean investigation into the events even if it means breaking down incorrect/wrong data previously given. The truth is worth it.

    So go to town on the investigation.

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  2. Merlin

    I warm to the idea of the FBI conducting a no stone unturned independent investigation with full powers to go where the evidence leads them wherever that may be and report directly to Kamala Harris.
    MISJUDGMENTS!? Let's call a spade a spade. Many members of Congress are going to have to be interviewed under oath with no exceptions by agents of the FBI which is why this investigation must be conducted by the White House and the FBI, not Congress. Why? Because in America truth matters, not partisan politics. And if the January 6 Commission's report is to have any credibility with We the People it can not be conducted by Congress as many of them are suspects.
    IMO

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  3. Avatar photo
    Scarlette Tarte

    I do not want the Republicans to have any "cover". I want an investigation, I want a strong commission to look into it, but under no circumstances are any congressmen or senator to have any cover from it.

    If found that they did what it appears they did, they need to be punished.

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  4. Avatar photo
    mel ladi

    1. As I said elsewhere, yes to a truly bipartisan commission that deeply investigates the insurrection and follows all the threads of the narrative back wherever it leads them. Also, one which investigates "voter fraud" and traces back that misinformation while providing a backstop to the hardworking state/local elections officials and staff.

    2. No, I tend to think Speaker Pelosi, like Minority Leader McConnell, is partisan to her bones. She must invite the Republicans in wholeheartedly. The inquiry needs their strengths and inside-the-party intel and cultural understanding. I tweeted this to my rep the other day.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Scarlette Tarte

      What "cultural understanding" are you referring to, pray tell?

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      1. Avatar photo
        mel ladi

        Well, truthfully, I don't have a preconceived notion of what that might be. Perhaps there are avenues of investigation that Dems might overlook, perhaps there are issues with one approach over another; one might be more to the liking of the Republicans. I was thinking there might be words or phrases that are differently signifying to each party and the commission might want to use those terms, or alternatively, refrain from such. There may be a sense of the temperature of the room during certain incidents that the Republicans can shed light on of which Dems were oblivious or possibly viewed without full information. I think there are some different lenses that each party brings into a discussion. I probably could have used a better term but I couldn't think of one.

        Very off-topic example: I may get into a discussion of fiscal policy and someone will use the phrase "free stuff" and I may someone's overall attitude -- possibly incorrectly. Apparently, the term "trickle-down" is such a signifier and I wasn't aware of that.

        Recommending this book for more examples: https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B07S1RRCHZ&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_QA4RFN6YG6BFT1VJWT1W

        Does that make any sense?

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        1. Avatar photo
          mel ladi

          *may judge someone's*

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  5. Avatar photo
    Logical

    These days truth is partisan. Nothing can survive the onslaught of Jim Jordan and his coalition's fire hose.

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  6. Joe1776

    Ok is the commission going to investigate allegations of fraud or irregularities in the election? I think such a commission would be helpful if done right. I think Cruz wanted this but his timeframe was too unrealistic.

    As far as investigating the actual attack I would wait until we get the report from the internal investigation. If people are still unsatisfied with that then sure.


    But I do think it is important that the press not become too lazy, biased or afraid to investigate and discuss these issues on their own. The press is independent from the government in a way that bipartisan politicians often are not. Not only that but these bipartisan commissions often do a pretty poor job investigating compared to professional reporters/investigators. I would really prefer it if the press asked the hard questions of the public officials involved in any controversial events, rather than having to rely on government commission accounts.

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    BrandonAlleman

    We are not going to get a bipartisan commission if it depends on Democrats pitching a perfect game, nor will it even be acknowledged if they pitch a no hitter.

    I hope there is a commission that subpoenas witnesses to testify under oath and the commission is staffed with mostly retired or non-active political actors, investigators, and officials.

    If Republicans want me to care about their refereeing of the process, they will have to start announcing their specific intentions and support for the commission in public and not amongst themselves and as anonymous sources.

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  8. Avatar photo
    Dpatricola

    I'm no fan on Pelosi, and if she staunchly refuses to allow GOP input in all facets of the inquiry then this commission will be seen little more as a partisan tool, and all accusations (real and imagined) will be treated at best, suspicious and worst, made up. If she really wants to make this a positive, long lasting mark in restoring our democracy she needs to reach across the aisle.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Pat Riot

      The Republicans have every incentive to label this Commission a partisan tool, so that's what you are going to hear on the Republican media 24/7 while the thing is going on regardless of any reality.

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      1. Avatar photo
        Dan

        Agreed. At this point, *only* the republicans who have been censured by their own State GOP can join--the rest of the GOP in Congress and the Senate cannot because they will be attacked by their own base. Pelosi can reach across the aisle all she wants to get voting support for such a commission--she can only get Kinzinger, Beutler, and Cheney to join her. It'll be "bi-partisan", but the far right press and Trump will attack anyway.

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  9. Avatar photo
    Pat Riot

    As I mentioned before, the central goals of the Republican party over the coming months and years will be focused on keeping Donald Trump and his criminal associates out of prison and free from civil lawsuits.

    This has already started in Georgia, where Republicans are working 24/7 to pass a law to protect Trump from prosecution surrounding his corrupt interference into the vote count there for the 2020 election.

    This is also happening at the strategic level, where the denigration of the FBI, DOJ and court system (judges, juries, etc.) that the Republicans started while Trump was president is continuing.

    Hence it may will be unrealistic to believe that this effort to understand what happened can be truly bi-partisan. One party here will have a very, very specific agenda in exonerating Trump and all Republican-affiliated organizations (e.g. the Proud Boys). This is bound to corrupt the process.

    Still, even with Republican attacks, I suspect the Commission will do a lot of good. We need the answer to what exactly happened written down somewhere, and as long as the Democrats lead the committees, we can expect that at least that will happen.

    But don't expect the Commission's findings to be some sort of bipartisan Kumbaya.

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    1. Avatar photo
      mel ladi

      (Trying again) What is happening in Georgia which concerns you?

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      1. Avatar photo
        Pat Riot

        "Georgia Republicans Are Trying to Change the Rules for Fani Willis’s Prosecution of Donald Trump for Election Crimes"

        https://www.houzz.com/products/dwba-stone-round-trash-can-swing-cover-wastebasket-with-revolving-lid-white-prvw-vr~84336811

        Basically the Republicans in the GA state legislature are "suddenly" concerned about the jurisdiction of election-related crimes.

        I don't know whether they will succeed in getting Trump off or not, but the point here is that *this* is the priority of the party and not say legislating to make things better for Georgians...

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        1. Avatar photo
          Pat Riot

          LOL, where did that link come from?

          Here's the real one:

          https://lawandcrime.com/2020-election/georgia-republicans-are-trying-to-change-the-rules-for-fani-williss-prosecution-of-donald-trump-for-election-crimes/

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        2. Avatar photo
          mel ladi

          https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/the-jolt-gop-would-give-fani-willis-a-jury-of-their-peers/N6G4ZZ3FC5B2ZILJGUYXCL65ZI/

          Thanks!

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    2. Richard Kennedy

      Well, there is bi-partisan and bi-partisan. Sounds like GOP leadership in Congress supports this, assuming the Speaker will want to work with them. From there it is an easy path to marginalize Gates and the usual suspects. For an investigation. As Jonah says, the Party leadership is toothless outside of Congress. It can be done. We shall see who it is that will be on the Committee.

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