Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Wednesday slammed Republicans opposing legislation to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
In a lengthy Senate floor speech, Mr. Schumer accused the GOP of kowtowing to former President Donald Trump instead of trying to uncover the truth about events of Jan. 6.
“What the House Republicans are doing is beyond crazy: to be so far under the thumb of Donald J. Trump,” the New York Democrat said. “Letting the most dishonest president in history dictate the prerogatives of the Republican party will be its demise. Whatever that means for Democrats, it is bad for America.”
Mr. Schumer compared Republican opposition to the bill to last week’s ousting of Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming from GOP leadership after she repeatedly challenged Mr. Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
“At the root of both efforts is the shameful desire to protect Donald Trump and protect the big lie,” he said, invoking Democrats’ nickname for Mr. Trump’s claims that he won the election.
He also promised that the Senate would vote on the legislation.
Mr. Schumer’s remarks come as the House is set to vote on the measure, which was created via a compromise between the top Democrats and Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee.
GOP support for the bill crumbled Tuesday after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, voiced his objection to it. He criticized the negotiations, argued that multiple investigations into the riot exist and called for the panel to review other instances of violence.
Mr. Schumer argued that the commission will conduct an “honest, objective” investigation into the riot.
“An independent commission can be the antidote to the poisonous mistruths that continue to spread about Jan. 6,” he said.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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