Kevin McCarthy's Opposition Likely Dooms Nancy Pelosi's Partisan January 6 Commission

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) opposition could likely imperil a proposed commission to investigate the protests and riots on January 6, according to a report released Tuesday.

McCarthy announced Tuesday morning that he will oppose Pelosi’s January 6 commission, blaming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for negotiating in bad faith.

“Republican requests for fair representation and an unbiased premise from which to begin such an investigation were always understood to be the starting point for bipartisan negotiations, not the end result,” the House GOP leader said in a statement, which concluded:

Given the political misdirections that have marred this process, given the now duplicative and potentially counterproductive nature of this effort, and given the Speaker’s shortsighted scope that does not examine interrelated forms of political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation.

Democrats swiftly denounced McCarthy’s opposition to the commission.

Pelosi said, “It’s disappointing, but not surprising, that the cowardice on the part of some on the Republican side — not to want to find the truth.”

“It’s hard to take Kevin McCarthy seriously at this point. … I don’t know what Kevin McCarthy is afraid of,” House Democrat Caucus chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said.

Politico wrote that McCarthy’s opposition to the commission could likely embolden many Republicans to oppose the commission in the House and the Senate, given that many GOP lawmakers want to move past January 6.

Politico wrote:

Probably not many. They’ll see this as a free vote to stick with DONALD TRUMP — and if McCarthy is a no, why shouldn’t they follow their leader? Katko tried to make his case in a House GOP Conference this morning, but let’s be realistic here: Republicans — most of them — don’t want to talk about Jan. 6 anymore.

“It’s hard to see this passing the Senate with only about a dozen Republicans voting for it in the House,” the outlet added.