Sen. Johnson questions Dems' focus on Jan. 6 Capitol riot amid debate over independent commission
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Sen. Johnson questions Dems' focus on Jan. 6 Capitol riot amid debate over independent commission
A mob of Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. (Leah Millis/File photo via Reuters)
The focus of Tuesday’s hearing was to examine the role of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Intelligence and Analysis to protect the U.S. against emerging threats, as part of the committee’s ongoing investigation into recent intelligence failures, including the attack on the Capitol — which Johnson also called into question. “I condemned what happened here on [Jan. 6], but I condemn as well the more than 500 riots that occurred during the summer including in Kenosha, [Wis.] ... two dozen people murdered, several hundred law enforcement officers injured, $2 billion worth of property damaged, yet we all just want to move beyond that and let’s just focus on Jan. 6th.” Johnson’s comments echo an attitude recently embraced by other Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy , who has come out in opposition to a bipartisan proposal to establish an independent commission to investigate the violent attack on the Capitol and the botched law enforcement response.
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)
The proposed commission, outlined in a bipartisan bill introduced last week by House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and the committee’s ranking member, John Katko, R-N.Y., would be fashioned after the panel convened by Congress to study the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It would be expected to deliver its findings, including recommendations for preventing future attacks, by Dec. 31. In a statement released by his office Tuesday, McCarthy said that “the renewed focus by Democrats to now stand up an additional commission ignores the political violence that has struck American cities, a Republican congressional baseball practice, and, most recently, the deadly attack on Capitol Police on April [2,] 2021. The presence of this political violence in American society cannot be tolerated and it cannot be overlooked.” The bill put forth by Thompson and Katko limits the scope of the commission’s investigation to focus on the factors that led a mob of pro-Trump supporters to breach the Capitol as Congress met to certify President Biden’s win in the Electoral College. The proposal does, however, include specific provisions requested by McCarthy on behalf of House Republicans, including a requirement that the 10-person panel be composed of five members appointed by the leaders of each party, and that subpoenas issued by the commission must receive a majority vote or an agreement between the chair and vice chair.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. (Joshua Roberts/File photo via Reuters)
In response to McCarthy’s rejection of the commission proposal, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that “Democrats made repeated efforts to seek a bipartisan compromise. But Leader McCarthy won’t take yes for an answer.” Pelosi has said House Democrats will move forward with a vote this week on the commission proposal, as well as a separate $1.9 billion emergency funding bill for security costs related to the Capitol riot — both of which received a White House endorsement on Tuesday. Though the Democratic-led House of Representatives will likely pass the bill to create a Jan. 6 commission when it votes on Wednesday, the proposal’s fate in the Senate — where it will need the support of at least 10 Republicans to pass — is less certain.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
Politico reported on Monday that several Republican senators had already expressed concerns about the commission’s composition and scope. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said, “They’re going to have to broaden the inquiry in order to get 60 votes.” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., the ranking member of the Senate Rules Committee, told Politico he worried that a commission could interfere with Congress’s existing investigation into law enforcement failures on Jan. 6. “I’ll look at what they do, but I’m no fan of the commission,” Blunt said. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled more openness toward supporting the commission, but told CNN’s Manu Raju on Tuesday afternoon that “we’re undecided about the way forward at this point.”
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"At a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., accused his Democratic colleagues of devoting too much attention to dangers posed by domestic terrorism and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Though the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI have both identified racially motivated domestic extremists, specifically white supremacists, as the greatest domestic terrorism threat currently facing the United States, Johnson said he is more concerned about other threats, such as those posed by transnational criminal organizations that smuggle drugs into the U.S. and vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. “I’m afraid we’re focusing on domestic terrorism that might kill a couple hundred people a year, versus something that could really represent an existential threat,” he said. “Thousands of drug-related murders every year, tens of thousands of drug-related overdoses, and now we’re supposed to concentrate on domestic terrorism as the greatest threat? It’s not. ”
I'm so sick of these republicans deflecting and projecting Why weren't you worried about " such as those posed by transnational criminal organizations that smuggle drugs into the U.S. and vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure." these things before?
Domestic terrorists which includes trump and his mob and the majority of trump supporters who still back these scum, every single gop who wants to move on from 1/6/21.
Every single gop scumbag who wants to move on from this failed insurrection/coup - are COMPLICIT.
they should let all the trumpster terrorists go and congress can expand the 2nd amendment to legally facilitate patriots that wish to defend the constitution in dealing with the recognized right wing domestic terrorist groups that were participants in the attempted insurrection. /s
"The proposed commission, outlined in a bipartisan bill introduced last week by House Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and the committee’s ranking member, John Katko, R-N.Y., would be fashioned after the panel convened by Congress to study the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It would be expected to deliver its findings, including recommendations for preventing future attacks, by Dec. 31. In a statement released by his office Tuesday, McCarthy said that “the renewed focus by Democrats to now stand up an additional commission ignores the political violence that has struck American cities, a Republican congressional baseball practice, and, most recently, the deadly attack on Capitol Police on April [2,] 2021."
PROJECTION! DEFLECTION! One instance of violence against a 'republican' congressional member who got shot and is alive and well. That's all you got McCarthy?
I had forgotten about attack on the Capitol Police, I'll look into that, but more mere deflection from the real threat, the gop who still back this treasonous scum trump..
You exaggerate and generalize.
Ron Johnson is one of the dumbest people in Congress. Perfect Trump loyalist.
The voting public has pretty much forgotten and moved on from this quasi-insurrection.
No, they haven't. Thank goodness Mr. Garland decided to focus on trump's insurrectionist domestic terrorist mob.
yeah, you're right. I hope it quickly moves into the private sector for them to deal with it. /s
What does the voting public have to do with law enforcement???
The voting public has pretty much forgotten and moved on from this quasi-insurrection.
There you go yet again Greg... once again you exaggerate and generalize!!!
Cut it out Greg!!!
trump's domestic terrorists mob are so stupid they don't know how to spell 'white supremacist'.
They spell it 'white supremist'.
LOL!
Seriously? These are the idiots live streaming themselves committing felonies during an act of insurrection.
Calling them stupid is an insult to stupid people.
The trumpturd/dumbturds provided all the evidence/proof needed at their trials. . . .I made up a new word for the urban dictionary or whatever - trumpturds - that includes all his insurrectionist supporters and the biggest turd of them all - trump.
What?
Did something significant happen on January Sixth?
Gee... I can't remember...
What?
Did something significant happen on January Sixth?Gee...
I can't remember...
Yes...actually on that date this was a really big "Normal Tourist Visit" to the Capitol!
Now that Senator Ron Johnson is mentioned in this------------story--------------and he seems to have some questions as to the scope and purpose of the investigation into the-----Mar-a-Lago man's quest to remain in an non-indictable situation I would appreciate having the opportunity to question Senator Johnson under oath as to whether he has any connections to Russian Intelligence Services and if he does how long has he had them and by what method he attained them. Would also like to question former Representative Rohrabacher R-Cal. on the same matters.
COMPLICIT!
Kompromat.
Same thing?