Sen. Josh Hawley said he does not support the proposed commission to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The Missouri Republican, who previously signaled support for some version of an inquiry, said he felt the effort to create a 9/11-style commission skewed too heavily in favor of partisan goals of the Democrats and is not as bipartisan as some are advertising.
“I mean, at this point, I wouldn’t support a commission, but we’ll see,” Hawley told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday.
MCCONNELL WON’T BACK JAN. 6 RIOT COMMISSION
The Democratic-led House passed the commission proposal on Wednesday night, with some Republican support, and now it heads to an evenly-divided Senate.
Hawley stood out as a GOP senator who objected when lawmakers met at the Capitol on Jan. 6 to certify President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory, as former President Donald Trump insisted the contest was stolen from him through fraud. Hawley also faced backlash after a photo appeared to show him giving a closed-fist salute to the rioters as they stormed the building.
The senator told the Washington Post this month he doesn’t regret the fist pump and claimed it was a “slur” to suggest he gestured to people involved in the “criminal riot.” In that same interview, Hawley said he felt a commission looking into the events of Jan. 6, which resulted in a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol, “would be useful” but insisted it had to be “truly bipartisan.”
As it stands now, Hawley said he agreed with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said on Wednesday he would not support the House’s “slanted and unbalanced” proposal.
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McConnell, the highest-ranking Republican in the Senate, added he felt “existing” congressional and law enforcement investigations into the riot were sufficient. Other top Republicans also oppose the commission, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Trump warned members of his caucus that it was a “trap.”
“It just does not look to me like a bipartisan effort to get any facts,” Hawley said. “It looks like it’s a political endeavor.”
