It’s been more than four months since Donald Trump’s Insurrectionist Brigades stormed Capitol Hill in an attempt to prevent members of Congress from completing their constitutionally mandated duty to certify of the 2020 presidential election. It was a deadly and profoundly anti-democratic assault on the rights of the American people.
The StormTrumpers were incited by the ex-president, along with his accomplices from the ranks of the Republican congressional caucus and the right-wing media. And in the months that have transpired since the atrocities of January 6th, none of those conspirators have been held accountable.
A bipartisan, independent commission was proposed to study what happened and to develop practices to avoid any similar events in the future. However, Republican leaders in Congress have have come out against it. It is isn’t hard to imagine why they would want to avoid such a study. What is already known through public remarks and accounts by witnesses is highly incriminating to GOP members of Congress and Trump. And that explains the nervous reaction by House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy when questioned about the matter on Thursday:
Question: Do you think it’s a conflict of interest for members to be voting on a Commission that they might have to potentially be witnesses for and provide information on?
McCarthy: No, because who knows what they’re gonna do on the Commission. So no, I don’t think so.
Question: Can you be absolutely certain that none of your members were in any communication with any of the people who stormed Capitol Hill?
McCarthy: Thank you for the question. Everybody have a nice day.
Kevin McCarthy doesn't answer a question about whether he's absolutely sure that no House Republicans communicated with January 6 insurrectionists pic.twitter.com/pntSzt7mIJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 20, 2021
First of all, McCarthy’s lack of concern about any conflicts of interest completely ignores the question. For one thing, he knows exactly what the Commission will do. It’s purpose has been clearly defined. And it’s impossible not to notice the glaring conflicts of interest by people like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Sen. Josh Hawley who promoted the protests and cheered on the protesters. Not to mention Leader McCarthy himself who admitted that he spoke to Trump while the riots were in progress. His testimony would be mandatory for the Commission to complete its mission.
Thus, it isn’t surprising that when McCarthy was asked whether he could “be absolutely certain that none of your members were in any communication with any of the people who stormed Capitol Hill,” he chose to terminate the press conference and slink away. Had he answered he would have had to include himself, his fellow Republicans, and Trump, all of whom had such communications.
Consequently, the bill that passed in the House to create the Commission is almost certain to fail in the Senate. Trump has dictated that he is opposed to it, and his minions – McCarthy and Sen. GOP leader, Mitch McConnell) are nothing if not obedient.
However, there may be a silver lining to the failure of the bill. Afterward, the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, would be free to create a Select Committee to do what the Commission would have done. And she wouldn’t have to compromise with Republicans on the ground rules. She could have a majority of Democrats on the Committee, and control the procedures such as the issuing subpoenas.
So in the end, the Republican intransigence at the behest of Trump will only come back to bite him in the behind. But not to worry, he has plenty of GOP flunkies who will kiss it and make it better.
NOTE: Twitter recently suspended the News Corpse account after 11 years without giving a reason. So if anyone wants to tweet articles from my website, please feel free to do so often and repeatedly. Also, Be sure to visit and follow News Corpse on Instagram. Thanks for your support.
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.