InsurrectionCongress Repeats Calls for Independent Commission to Probe U.S. Capitol Attack

By Chris Hannas

Published 19 February 2021

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the latest in a long line of independent panels appointed by lawmakers and U.S. presidents to examine moments of national crisis as well as policy issues.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the latest in a long line of independent panels appointed by lawmakers and U.S. presidents to examine moments of national crisis as well as policy issues.

Blue-ribbon commissions take on different forms and are typically defined by legislation that specifies such details as the membership, scope of what is to be examined, budget and what the final product should be. The panels often are asked to produce recommendations on how to improve a system or, in the case of a disaster, avoid a similar occurrence in the future.

Pelosi said the new commission would be similar to one convened after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington — one of the most searing events in the nation’s recent history.

In a letter to congressional colleagues, the speaker wrote that an independent, outside panel would “investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex.”

She said it would examine issues “relating to the interference with the peaceful transfer of power, including facts and causes relating to the preparedness and response of the United States Capitol Police and other Federal, State, and local law enforcement in the National Capitol Region.”

The Senate voted on Saturday to acquit former President Donald Trump on an impeachment charge of inciting a mob to attack the Capitol on January 6 as Congress was certifying Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the November 3 presidential election.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the latest in a long line of independent panels appointed by lawmakers and U.S. presidents to examine moments of national crisis as well as policy issues.

Blue-ribbon commissions take on different forms and are typically defined by legislation that specifies such details as the membership, scope of what is to be examined, budget and what the final product should be. The panels often are asked to produce recommendations on how to improve a system or, in the case of a disaster, avoid a similar occurrence in the future.

Pelosi said the new commission would be similar to one convened after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington — one of the most searing events in the nation’s recent history.

In a letter to congressional colleagues, the speaker wrote that an independent, outside panel would “investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex.”

She said it would examine issues “relating to the interference with the peaceful transfer of power, including facts and causes relating to the preparedness and response of the United States Capitol Police and other Federal, State, and local law enforcement in the National Capitol Region.”

The Senate voted on Saturday to acquit former President Donald Trump on an impeachment charge of inciting a mob to attack the Capitol on January 6 as Congress was certifying Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the November 3 presidential election.

Schwartz said in terms of public support, commissions have been successful when they are seen as “fair-minded and nonpartisan,” though that could be harder to achieve in a time of political polarization.

“If they are perceived as having tried to get at the truth, they could have an effect on public memory and public understanding of the event,” Schwartz said.

Regarding public desire for a commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, Cafaro said she thinks people want answers to the question, “How could this possibly happen?”

“I think there’s a lot of people that can’t believe and don’t understand how something like that can happen to the U.S. Capitol,” Cafaro said. “There are a lot of questions to be asked on what happened with the Capitol Police, what happened with the National Guard, is there a necessity for changes in jurisdictional issues of law enforcement surrounding the U.S. Capitol, does there need to be enhanced cooperation.”

“There’s all kinds of things that need to be addressed to go forward,” Cafaro said. 

Chris Hannas is anews  reporter for VOA. Jesusemen Oni contributed to this story.This article is published courtesy of the Voice of America (VOA).