Pelosi: GOP ‘cowardice’ on Jan. 6 vote makes ‘our country less safe’

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) slammed Republicans on Friday who voted against the creation of an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

“Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans’ denial of the truth of the January 6th insurrection brings shame to the Senate. Republicans’ cowardice in rejecting the truth of that dark day makes our Capitol and our country less safe,” the Speaker said in a press release, referring to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The bill to create the commission was struck down in a 54-35 vote on Friday with only six GOP senators voting in favor of it.

“Mitch McConnell asked Senate Republicans to do him a ‘personal favor’ and vote against the January 6th Commission. In doing so, Mitch McConnell asked them to be complicit in his undermining of the truth of January 6th. In bowing to McConnell’s personal favor request, Republican Senators surrendered to the January 6th mob assault,” Pelosi said.

The details of the independent commission, modeled after the one created in the wake of 9/11, had been agreed to in bipartisan negotiations, but Republicans in both chambers had largely turned away from the idea.

“Democrats worked across the aisle, agreeing to everything that Republicans asked for. We did this in the interest of achieving a bipartisan Commission. In not taking yes for an answer, Republicans clearly put their election concerns above the security of the Congress and country,” Pelosi said.

The six Republicans who voted for the commission were Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine), Bill Cassidy (La.), Rob Portman (Ohio) and Ben Sasse (Neb.).

“I do not believe the extraneous ‘commission’ that Democratic leaders want would uncover crucial new facts or promote healing. Frankly, I do not believe it is even designed to,” McConnell (R-Ky.) said for his case against the commission.

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he could force another vote on the commission after Friday’s failure.