George Conway is calling Republican opposition to a commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol “more appalling” than both of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment acquittals.
“Republican senators have managed to outdo themselves in cowardice — which is quite a feat,” Conway wrote in an op-ed published by The Washington Post.
He added, “Last week’s Senate vote blocking a national commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol was even more appalling than either of the Senate’s impeachment trial acquittals of former president Donald Trump.”
Claiming there is “no excuse” for Republicans’ vote against the commission, Conway continued, “They weren’t being asked to remove anyone from office; they weren’t being asked to pass judgment of any sort. They were merely being asked to allow a bipartisan commission to look into what happened on, and led to, Jan. 6.”
He argued, “Republicans’ policy of appeasing Trump prevailed once again.”
Conway went on to suggest Trump’s presidency resulted in the Republican Party “becoming a threat to democracy, a declining sect dominated by crackpots, charlatans and cowards.”
He concluded, “Of these, it’s the cowards, including the senators who killed last week’s legislation, who bear the most blame.”
The legislation to establish a commission failed to pass the Senate last week in a 54-35 vote, as IJR reported.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) outlined four possible alternatives to a commission, including providing the Senate with another opportunity to vote on the bill passed by the House, establishing a House select committee, permitting other committees to continue their investigations, or directing one House committee to take the lead, such as Homeland Security.
Pelosi ruled out the idea of a presidential commission because she believes it most likely would not have “subpoena authority or funding without a statutory change.”
