The Republicans, who both voted to impeach former President Trump, argued that an independent commission is needed to investigate the Jan. 6 attack.
Two Republican members of Michigan’s congressional delegation were among nearly three dozen who broke with their party Wednesday night, supporting the creation of an independent commission to investigate the Jan.6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. U.S. Reps. Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids and Fred Upton of St. Joseph voted along with Democrats and a larger-than-expected group of other Republicans, arguing that the public deserves an independent review by experts into how the Capitol was breached and why intelligence beforehand wasn’t acted upon to stop the attack. The break among partisan ranks occurred despite House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and other Republican leaders opposing it. «There has been an active effort to whitewash and rewrite the shameful events of that day to avoid accountability and turn away from difficult truths,» Meijer said during an impassioned speech Wednesday in which he appeared to call out fellow Republicans who have downplayed the significance of the attack on the Capitol. «If we avoid confronting what happened here just a few short months ago, we can be sure that intimidation, coercion and violence will become a defining feature of our politics,» he said. No other Michigan Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the bill, which passed in the Democratic-led House 252-175. All Democrats voting supported it, as did 35 Republicans. It now goes to the Senate, where it could face difficulties getting enough votes to pass into law. That chamber is split 50-50 with Democrats in control only because Vice President Kamala Harris can split tie votes. A 60-vote majority would be needed to pass the commission bill, however, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has also said he does not support the bill. The Republican support in the House could possibly improve its chances. The unexpected level of Republican support came at a time of deep uncertainty in the party, with Trump continuing to press unfounded claims that his loss was rigged and attacking anyone who challenges him. Last week, House Republicans ejected Rep. Liz Cheney, of Wyoming, from its leadership ranks for refusing to quiet her claims that Trump’s behavior provoked the attack and is undermining American democratic norms.
