McCarthy Accuses Pelosi of 'Playing Politics' With Capitol Riot Commission

One day after the House voted to create an independent commission on the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who voted against the bill, described it as a "Pelosi commission," and accused the House Speaker of playing politics with the issue.

"I just think a Pelosi commission is a lot of politics," McCarthy said as reporters pressed him on his opposition to the bill, which faces an uncertain future in the Senate as Republicans work to stop the investigation that is opposed by former President Donald Trump.

"You've got two committees in the Senate already doing their investigation," McCarthy said. "You've got the Architect of the Capitol given ten million dollars to study what we need done here to protect it," he said. "And, then you've got the Justice Department,"

Democrats say an independent investigation is crucial to reckoning what happened that day, when a violent mob of Trump's supporters smashed into the Capitol to try and overturn President Joe Biden's victory.

Modeled after the investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the legislation would establish an independent, 10-member commission that would make recommendations by the end of the year for securing the Capitol and preventing another insurrection.

The bill passed the House on Wednesday 252-175, with 35 Republicans voting with Democrats in support of the commission, defying Trump and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy.

Trump issued a statement urging Republicans to vote against it, calling the legislation a “Democrat trap.”

McCarthy also criticized Pelosi over the requirement that House members continue to wear masks in the lower chamber.

"What's interesting is you look at this building, there's a chamber for the House and a chamber for the Senate," he said.

"But apparently COVID works differently in both chambers because in the Senate you don't wear a mask. In the House, you have to wear a mask. The only difference is the Speaker," McCarthy said.

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