Senate Republicans have made good on their pledge to quash an independent commission into the January 6th siege of the Capitol, arguing the legislation contained partisan undertones.
The commission, which received the stamp of approval in the Democratic-led House, was halted by filibuster in the evenly-split Senate.
Defending his opposition to the proposed 10-member panel, Sen. Mitch McConnell repeated concerns that the commission was a political exercise meant to benefit the majority party.
"I do believe the additional extraneous commission that Democratic leaders want would uncover crucial new facts or promote healing," the minority leader said. "Frankly, I do not believe it is even designed to do that."
But Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, one of six Republicans who broke ranks with her party, countered that it's the GOP that's looking to avoid any political fallout from a continuing conversation about the events of that day.
"To be making a decision for short-term political gain at the expense of understanding and acknowledging what was in front of us on January 6... I think we need to look at that critically," she said.
McConnell has argued the federal government is already mounting an effective search and prosecution of those responsible.
Thursday, Nicholas Brockoff of Covington became the latest Kentucky man to face federal charges for his alleged role in the Capitol riot. So far more than a dozen Kentuckians have been arrested in connection with the January attack.
