After settlingDonald Trump’s second impeachment trial — which ended in the former president’s acquittal over the weekend — lawmakers say they never want to repeat the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last month.
An elaborate review, some lawmakers said, would help prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
TheNew York Timesreportsthat lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are leaning toward a commission rather than other options to hold the former president to account — such as a formal censure or using the 14th amendment to bar him from future office.
“Our country has been wounded,” they wrote in the letter, according toNJ.com. “A full accounting of the events of January 6th and the identification of measures to strengthen the Congress can help our country heal.”
In an interview withABC News’This Weekon Sunday,Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted in favor of Trump’s impeachment, echoed those calls. “I think there should be a complete investigation about what happened on 1/6, both why was there not more law enforcement, National Guard already mobilized, what was known, who knew it and when they knew it, all that, because that builds the basis so this never happens again in future,” Cassidy, 63, told anchorGeorge Stephanopoulos.
Later during the program, House impeachment manager Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat, also said the U.S. Capitol riot warranted a bipartisan commission.
Lawmakers gather for Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
Even some who voted to acquit Trump, like longtime ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, have said recently theyalso supportconvening a commission.
“We need a 9/11 commission to find out what happened and make sure it never happens again, and I want to make sure that the Capitol footprint can be better defended next time,” Graham, 65,toldFox News Sunday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — a longtime Trump critic —announced plansto launch a commission on Monday, citing national security concern and concern for the safety of Congress members.
Citing an initial security assessment on the security of the Capitol building, Pelosi’s statement said the next step would be “an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021 domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex.”
Pelosi firstpushed for a commissionin January, telling reporters: “We will have an after-action review; there will be a commission.”
Hours after Trump’s acquittal Saturday, Biden issued a statement emphasizing that while “the final vote did not lead to a conviction,the substance of the charge is not in dispute.”
In his statement, Biden noted that even some of the Republicans whovoted to acquitTrump, such as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, “believe Donald Trump was guilty of a ‘disgraceful dereliction of duty’ and ‘practically and morally responsible for provoking’ the violence unleashed on the Capitol.”
A 9/11-like commission would open a more elaborate investigation into the events of Jan. 6 and offer a definitive accounting of what transpired throughout the day, as well as what inspired to the attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
source: people.com
