Dem House Caucus Vice Chair Tells CNN That He Believes McCarthy is Trying to ‘Whitewash the Deadly Insurrection That Happened on Jan. 6’

We reported yesterday that U.S. House Rep Eric Swalwell (D-CA) accused House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) of “cowardice” after he spoke out against a deal that was brokered regarding a commission to be setup to investigate the events that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

With the House set to vote today on the matter, U.S. House Rep Pete Aguilar, also a California Democrat and the Vice Chair of the Caucus, appeared on CNN to accuse McCarthy of attempting to “whitewash the deadly insurrection that happened on Jan. 6.”

In a tweet, which included video of his interview, Aguilar said, “Today, I’m voting to establish an independent commission to investigate the attack on the Capitol. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to put politics aside and join me.”

Today, I'm voting to establish an independent commission to investigate the attack on the Capitol. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to put politics aside and join me. pic.twitter.com/inLCoW44Gf

— Rep. Pete Aguilar (@RepPeteAguilar) May 19, 2021

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has also announced his opposition to the commission and pointed out that there are already multiple agencies investigating what happened.

Aguilar accused Republicans of refusing to “take yes for an answer.”

The CNN host John Berman claimed that “some people” have suggested that having Republicans be involved with the commission would be like having had Al-Qaeda involved with the 9/11 investigation.

Aguilar dismissed the suggestion, however, and suggested that a bipartisan commission would be best “in order to bring the country along.”

Berman then asked if McCarthy should testify, to which Aguilar responded that it should be up to the commission, but wondered what McCarthy is “afraid of” that he doesn’t want to.

From NBC News:

On Wednesday morning, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on the Senate floor that he’d “made a decision to oppose the House Democrats’ slanted and unbalanced for another commission to study the events of January the 6th”

McConnell argued that law enforcement efforts to find the perpetrators are ongoing and bipartisan investigations at the committee level are already underway, saying there has been “no shortage of robust investigations” into the events.

“It’s not at all clear what new facts or additional investigation yet another commission could actually lay on top of existing efforts by law enforcement and Congress,” he said.

McConnell’s remarks come one day after Trump released a statement demanding that he and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., — mentioning the two by name — reject the commission. McCarthy announced his opposition to the legislation on Tuesday morning.