InsurrectionFormer National Security Officials Call for a 9/11 Commission-Like investigation of the Attack on the Capitol

More than a hundred former senior national security, military, and elected officials, both Republicans and Democrats, have called on lawmakers to form an independent bipartisan commission to investigate the attack.

“We write to encourage this Congress to establish an independent and bipartisan national commission to investigate the January 6th assault of the U.S. Capitol Complex and its direct causes, and to make recommendations to prevent future assaults and strengthen the resilience of our democratic institutions,” the letter, which was signed by 140 officials, read.

Among the signees are two dozen ambassadors, six former senators, four former secretaries of homeland security, two members of the 9/11 Commission, and many former senior military officers.

The former officials warn that the threat of domestic terrorist attacks is rising, and should be addressed more effectively.

Last month, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence submitted to Congress an assessment of the national security threat posed by domestic violent extremism. An unclassified summary of the report said domestic terrorism poses an “elevated threat” to the homeland in 2021 and predicted that social and political factors, including the coronavirus pandemic and “emboldening impact of the violent breach of the U.S. Capitol,” will “almost certainly” drive domestic violent extremists to engage in further violence.

Democrats and Republicans have so far failed to agree on the composition of the commission and the scope of its investigative mandate. Initially, Speaker Nancy Pelosi proposed a commission in which Democrats would have majority, but Democrats now say that they are open to a commission membership which, as was the case with the 9/11 Commission, would be evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

A more serious split is over the scope of the commission’s investigations, specifically, how to approach the investigation of former president Donald Trump’s incitement of his supporters to attack the Capitol in order to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory, and his subsequent foot-dragging in ordering the D.C. National Guard to help the overwhelmed Capitol Police deal with the rioters.

The former national security officials said that a 9/11 Commission-like investigative commission would complement congressional and law enforcement investigations into the attack and the government’s response.

The group warned that failure to establish such a commission would “leave the Capitol, and the nation, vulnerable to future attacks.”