Feb. 16 (UPI) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday announced plans to launch an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
In a letter to lawmakers, Pelosi, D-Calif., said that an assessment of Congressional security by retired Army Lt. Gen. Russel Honore in the wake of the insurrection has presented a necessity to “get to the truth of how this happened.”
“To protect our security, our security, our security, our next step will be to establish an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to ‘investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to the Jan. 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex,” she said.
Pelosi had previously called to “establish a 9/11-type commission” to probe and report the causes and security failures that made it possible for a mob of supporters of former President Donald Trump to breach the Capitol building as lawmakers certified President Joe Biden‘s November election win.
The renewed call on Monday comes after Trump was acquitted on charges of inciting an insurrection in a 57-43 vote that saw seven Republicans join Democrats in voting to convict but fell short of the 67 votes needed to secure a conviction.
On Sunday, House impeachment manager Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who voted to convict Trump, expressed support for the creation of an independent commission.
In a news conference earlier this month, Pelosi told reporters that House members would not serve on the commission and it would place an increased focus on diversity.
“Different from 9/11. What were there, nine people? All white, one woman. It will look different,” she said.
