Manchin, Sinema press GOP senators on Jan. 6 commission

Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) are urging their Republican colleagues to move forward on a bipartisan commission to investigate the events of Jan. 6.

The moderate Democrats said in a statement Tuesday that they “could never have imagined an attack on Congress and our Capitol at the hands of our own citizens.”

“In the hours and days following the attack, Republican and Democratic members of Congress condemned the violence and vowed to hold those responsible accountable so our Democracy will never experience an attack like this again,” the pair said.

Manchin and Sinema touted the House’s bipartisan passage last week of the bill to create a Jan. 6 commission, calling it a “critical step to ensuring our nation never has to endure an attack at the hands of our countrymen again.”

“We implore our Senate Republican colleagues to work with us to find a path forward on a commission to examine the events of January 6,” they said.

The statement comes as Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) seeks to fast-track a vote on the legislation, which could come as soon as this week.

Several Republicans have indicated support for the measure, though Democrats are still short of the votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

Ten Republicans would need to back it to overcome a filibuster.

Some Democrats have floated abolishing the filibuster to advance certain agenda items, though Manchin and Sinema have both said that they do not support killing the filibuster.

Most recently, Manchin told Forbes on Tuesday that he would not kill the filibuster if the GOP blocked the formation of the Jan. 6 commission.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) was the first Senate Republican to say he would support the House version of the bill to form a commission. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Tuesday that she would also back it.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who also voted to convict former President Trump over the Jan. 6 riot, told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that she would support the bill but is working out “flaws” in the House version.

Another Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), has said he’s inclined to support forming a commission, while Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) — who also voted to convict Trump — has expressed opposition to a commission.