House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is willing to testify before an independent commission investigating the Jan. 6 riot about his conversation with then-President Donald Trump as the Capitol attack unfolded, Politico reported.
“Sure, next question,” McCarthy told reporters Thursday when asked outside the Capitol.
But his willingness probably carries little political risk since legislation for the bipartisan commission is facing tough headwinds in the Senate, Politico noted.
House Democrats, with the support of 35 Republicans, passed a resolution Wednesday to form a Jan. 6 Commission to investigate the attack. The measure would create a 10-member commission — with five members appointed by each party — to investigate the storming of the Capitol in protest of the certification of the Electoral College victory for President Joe Biden.
McCarthy had announced his opposition to the measure Tuesday, urging his caucus to do the same.
Now that the legislation moves to the Senate, Democrats in the upper chamber would have to flip 10 Republicans to break any potential filibuster and send the bill to Biden’s desk.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared Wednesday that he won’t support the proposal. But even some seven Senate Republicans who voted in February to convict Trump of inciting the riot remain undecided, Politico reported.
On Thursday, McCarthy was dismissive of the panel as well.
“I just think a [Democrat House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi commission is a lot of politics,” he said, Politico reported.
He also argued it was not a conflict of interest for certain members of Congress to vote on the commission bill even though they may be called to testify before the panel at a later date.
“No. Because who knows what they’re going to do on the commission? So no, I don’t think so,” he said, Politico reported.
The news outlet noted that McCarthy would be a likely witness for an investigatory commission because he had a reportedly heated phone call with Trump as supporters of the president attacked the Capitol.
Commission members would likely be interested in knowing Trump’s state of mind amid the attack, and McCarthy’s testimony could reveal more information about the White House response to it, Politico reported.
Source: Newmax
