Essdras M. Suarez
The Congress Chamber voted on Wednesday (local time) with a majority of the Democrats and against opposition from large parts of the Republican parliamentary group in favor of the establishment of such a body. However, it is unclear whether the necessary majority for this will also come about in the second Chamber of Congress, the US Senate.
Supporters of then President Donald Trump stormed the seat of the US Congress in Washington on January 6th. Five people were killed, including a Capitol policeman. Trump had to face impeachment proceedings because of the attack because he had previously incited his supporters in a speech. At the end of the trial, the Republican was acquitted.
In the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, Democrats and Republicans agreed a few days ago to set up a committee of inquiry into the January 6th attack. The Commission should therefore have the right to summon witnesses and request information classified as secret. It is questionable whether the committee will actually come. The Senate would also have to approve this – and there the Democrats are dependent on support from the ranks of the Republicans.
Shortly after the bipartisan agreement at committee level, the Republican leaders in both chambers of Congress, Kevin McCarthy and Mitch McConnell, opposed the establishment of such a commission, arguing, among other things, that there were already enough investigations elsewhere in Congress and by law enforcement agencies . In the Senate, many Republicans are likely to follow the line of their leadership.
The Democratic majority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, accused the Republican leadership of sabotaging the reappraisal of the attack. Behind this is the “shameful” desire to protect Trump. Trump had called on his Republicans to vote against the panel.