US Senator John Thune is joining Senate Republicans in blockingan independent commission to investigate the deadly insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th.
“I support the ongoing criminal investigations by the Department of Justice, which have already led to hundreds of arrests. I also look forward to the conclusion of the bipartisan investigation that is currently underway in two Senate committees and reviewing their report," Thune says. "Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi tainted this entire process by making it political from the start. I hope we can end it by simply finding the facts.”
Thune has voiced concerns about the commission distracting from the party’s message heading into the 2022 midterm elections. He says rehashing the 2020 election is lost time.
Five people died either during the attack or shortly after. One of the dead was a Capitol police officer.
Senator Mike Rounds is one of a handful of senators who was absent for the vote. According to Rounds’ spokesperson, the senator is meeting with strategic partners and military leaders in war zones overseas.
"As he did not cast a vote, the record will show that he did not support this legislation, which is congruent with his position on this particular commission,” the spokesperson says.
Republican Representative Dusty Johnson voted in favor of the commission when it was up for consideration in the house.