McConnell announces opposition to Jan. 6 commission as he seeks to move past Trump

Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell formally announced his opposition on Wednesday to a special commission to study the insurrection of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

“After careful consideration, I’ve made the decision to oppose the House Democrats slanted and unbalanced proposal for another commission to study the events of January the 6th,” McConnell said. “It is not at all clear what new facts … yet another commission can lay on top of law enforcement and Congress.”

The Kentuckian’s decision is no surprise and had been telegraphed for weeks through his pained public avoidance of speaking about anything related to former President Donald Trump and that day’s harrowing events. A commission designed to dissect the chaotic and violent actions of that day, and those leading up to it, would only resurrect Trump’s presence in national dialogue, thereby foiling McConnell’s attempts to move past his own party’s former president, who is now a pointed foe.

McConnell’s stated opposition now casts significant doubt over whether Democrats can attract the 10 Republicans necessary to push the commission through the U.S. Senate. The Democratic-led House is expected to pass its version of the bill later Wednesday, with some level of Republican support.

The bill would establish an independent, 10-member commission that would make recommendations for securing the U.S. Capitol. A final report would be issued by Dec. 31.

On Tuesday, GOP House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he would vote against a Jan. 6 commission bill, despite allowing his Republican colleagues to negotiate with Democrats to craft a compromise around the make-up of such a commission.

That same day, McConnell told reporters he was open to backing a bipartisan plan for a commission, but for weeks the writing seemed to be on the wall.

Since his declaration in February that Trump was “morally responsible” for the Jan. 6 attack, McConnell has repeatedly rebuffed questions on anything about the former president, repeatedly saying his focus is to look to the future.

Trump issued a statement on Tuesday, name-checking both McCarthy and McConnell and calling a Jan. 6 commission “a Democrat trap.”

“This discussion should be ended immediately,” he declared.

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