When he took the floor of the Senate to reject the Democrats’ Jan. 6 Commission, Mitch McConnell may have salvaged his party’s chances to recapture the House in 2022.
For that commission, being spun as a “bipartisan” effort to learn what “really happened” in the Capitol that fateful day, is a Democratic scheme to have the left’s version of events on Jan. 6 enshrined as the official history of the United States.
And what is the left’s version?
It is that the forced entry and five-hour occupation of the Capitol by hundreds of Trumpists was “an attempted coup d’etat,” an “armed insurrection,” an act of “domestic terrorism,” the “worst attack on the Capitol since the British burned it down in the War of 1812” — and a “threat to our democracy” unrivaled since the Civil War.
Moreover, those who shouted, “Hang Mike Pence!” were out to kill the vice president to prevent his doing his duty and overseeing the count of the electoral votes that would make Joe Biden president.
And the instigation and inspiration for the assault was Donald Trump’s two months of promoting the “Big Lie” that the presidential election had been “rigged” and “stolen,” as was his rally speech on the Mall that day that called on his followers to march on the Capitol.
This is the party line the establishment wants written into the record as the official version of events that day.
But is that the truth, or is that a painted-up version of the truth?
While the mob that breached the Capitol in the afternoon of Jan. 6 was no “normal tourist visit,” as one GOP congressman has suggested, nor was it an attempted coup or an armed insurrection.
No statue in the Capitol was pulled down, as would have been the case had antifa or BLM invaded the building. No painting was desecrated. No act of arson was committed. No gun was drawn, or brandished, or fired by Proud Boys or Oath Keepers or Trumpists within the building.
The lone victim of gunfire in the Capitol that day was an Air Force veteran with a decade of service, Ashli Babbitt, who was shot in the neck by a Capitol cop from the other side of a closed door to the speaker’s chamber.
Babbitt was engaged in an unlawful act, but nothing she was trying to do justifies her being shot to death. Four months later, we still do not know the identity of the cop who killed her.
Related Story: US Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Ashli Babbitt will not face federal charges or be named
This is not to excuse what went on during that invasion of the Capitol, which was a shameful disgrace. Cops were assaulted and injured as the crowd smashed its way in. Windows were shattered. Offices, including the speaker’s, were ransacked. Crimes were committed.
But the people who should sort this out and allocate blame where it belongs are police and FBI investigators and U.S. and D.C. prosecutors, not political partisans in the warring parties of a polarized nation.
Democrats had anticipated that the commission hearings would rivet the nation and media’s attention all this year, with the final report coming out at year’s end. This would enable the Democrats and their media allies to make Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 — the worst day of his presidency — and not the record of Joe Biden — the issue of 2022.
When Trump labeled this commission idea a “Democratic trap,” he nailed it. Republican Senate Whip John Thune also got it right:
“Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020 election… is a day lost on being able to draw a contrast between us and the Democrats’ very radical left-wing agenda.”
To establish the commission, which was approved on Wednesday by the House, Senate Democrats now need to find 10 Republican votes, which, after McConnell’s declared opposition, they do not have.
This “national commission” gambit is an old one in U.S. politics
In 1967, after urban riots in the Black communities of Newark and Detroit, LBJ appointed a National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. Liberal Democratic Governor Otto Kerner was named chairman and ultra-liberal Republican Mayor John Lindsay of New York vice chairman.
Early in election year 1968, the Kerner Commission declared that white racism was the underlying cause of the Black riots.
And this has since been a recurring theme of the left.
Again, this not to excuse what took place on Jan. 6.
But if it was an insurrection, an act of sedition, an attempted coup, an act of domestic terrorism, the conspirators should be charged in court, for each of these is a specific crime. And if anyone plotted to kill Mike Pence, then they should be charged with that and put on trial.
But it would be folly for the GOP to cooperate in a Democratic scheme to indict the GOP and Trump presidency in the court of public opinion for abetting something close to treason, which did not happen.
The Jan. 6 national commission idea, understandably supported by every congressional Democrat, belongs in the dumpster.
Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “Nixon’s White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever.” To find out more about Patrick Buchanan and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com.
To Democrats, Truth, Facts, Reality and History are all irrelevant,
IF the Democrats do not WANT to believe them.
Democrats will just make up their own Truth, Facts, Reality or History
To fit what they WANT to believe
or fits into the Con or Deception that they are running at the time.
The fact is, that if Donald Trump was really behind organizing the demonstrably unorganized January 6th demonstrations, it would have succeeded, and it would be Nancy and Schumer behind bars now in solitary confinement, and America would be on their way to economic recovery and healing.
IF we really had ‘tried to stage an insurrection’, with over (in some reports) 400 THOUSAND AMERICAN PATRIOTS in DC at that ralley, it would not only have succeeded, but we’d have had SWIFT public executions of those traitors…
The dummycrats want to cover up the fact that their dummycrat funded organization, Antifa, were the real ones responsible for the Jan. 6 break in. They even made videos of themselves saying that they were going to the rally pretending to be Trumpsters with the sole intention of starting a riot and blaming the Trumpsters. I’ll admit some of the Trumpster did get caught up in the moment a participated with Antifa, and they should’ve known better and they will face the consequences along with the proven Antifa pukes that were caught. Once in a while Mitch does something right, but he’s still a weak leader for senate GOP leader and Chucky Shumer is still going to bring this stupid bill on to the floor for debate and vote. And with the few RINOS, with Romney leading the way, the dummycrats may just get their win.
Even a broken clock is right, twice a day.. So that’s not saying much about mitch.
even if chucky does his bit in the sham bill-the dems need 10 republican defectors and it looks doubtful that he has them-
Don’t you mean TEN DEM defectors.
Like Tucker said, the people that went into the Capitol have been put in solitary confinement, with no other charges against them, except for “trespassing”. Our Country has now become a police state. Solitary confinement for “trespassing” is a joke. Also, like Tucker stated, blm and antifa have destroyed property, assaulted the police, assaulted and killed innocent people, committed egregious crimes and they are still walking the streets. The two tiered justice system from the Department Of No Justice. Trespassing vs. the monumental crimes of antifa and blm.
Not just that, but those on the 6th, HAVE BEEN DENIED even getting the chance of BAIL.. YET MOST of those antifa rioters/thugs, have gotten out WITHOUT EVEN GETTING CHARGED, let alone paying any bail…
The Democrats will find some way to set up a kangaroo commission to further their narrative. The results, of course, will be laughable and devoid of the reality that actually took place. Little mention made of the Speakers inaction despite being alerted or the fabricated tales by some members to embellish the story!
“But the people who should sort this out and allocate blame where it belongs are police and FBI investigators and U.S. and D.C. prosecutors, not political partisans in the warring parties of a polarized nation.”
Is there some measurable difference between these groups…other than uniforms?
You said it Max! They are all part and parcel of one fetid, putrefying cesspool.
TO my perception. NO There is no MEASURABLE difference between the DNC, and their willful lapdogs in the FBI and DOIJ.
Yes, an expectation of impartiality. Nobody expects politicians to be impartial anymore. We once expected that even they would be fair, not now.
QITH, I agree with what you’re saying about Politicians. But Thank God Trump wasn’t a politician, he was a businessman and did better than any Politician could do. He didn’t lie, steal or try to prove anything to anyone, he just did the job he came to do and did it well.
Expecting the FBI to be impartial?? Are you kidding us!?
trespassing? those houses of congress belong to we the people not elite politicians with god complexes.
That is correct. Can’t wait to see these monsters arrested for all their crimes.
AND If that’s trespassing, then HOW IS IT that all the rioters who flat out OCCUPIED AND TOOK OVER Police precincts, and federal buildings in Seattle/portland etc, NOT ALSO IN JAIL for trespassing?!
Correct me if I’m wrong, and not to change the subject, but during those hearings for the Supreme Court, wasn’t there a bunch of demonstrators that entered the capital building and harassed senators to get them to reject the judicial nominee, and weren’t they getting right in their faces? Was there any law enforcement keeping demonstrators from gathering around senators in halls, offices, and elevators? Did anything happen to any of those people? I don’t remember any arrests. But I guess I shouldn’t such questions because those “rioters” became useful pawns that furthered the Democrat senators’ opposition of the court nominee.
And now there are people being held in the pokey all this time for what, trespassing, and whatever else they are charged with, waiting for trail? Their are others who have done far far worse and are out on bail. Does that seem right to anybody.
Yes there was. BUT SINCE many of those, were WILLINGLY BROUGHT IN BY those in the dem party, they were technically “NOT trespassing”..
NO! It is far from right just as the Biden/Harris and the Administration is in the White House, where President Trump belongs. They are all crooks, Biden and his empty head and his braindead followers, and all the crooks he put into office with himself. All of them should NOT have been allowed until the election was found to be true, NOT fraudulent. But, they couldn’t prove it to be real and knew there was no way Biden would win, so they had to cheat. It is time for whomever that takes a Communist out of the office to do so, there must be something in the Consitution to warrant this. There must be rules for a President and his VP and administration who forces an election and forces people to do all this BS they have had America doing to take them OUT of the Presidency. It seems to me that Pelosi had said that if Trump had won she was going to have Military Police to escort him out of the White House and to Prison. It can’t be that ALL the people who are in charge are Criminals.
It certainly seems like they are in charge of all the positions that matter.
The cowardly GOP dodged no bullets when Mitch “stood up” to the Democrats. It is a case of far too little, way too late for Mitch to fake taking a stand to try and save face for the GOP. The Democrats are loathsone and vile but the Republicans are useless and complicit. Americans who actually pay attention to this disgusting Barnham and Bailey performance called Washington DC can see right through the whole act, including Mitch’s latest spin.
Any time Democrats claim to want to uncover the facts and the truth—that’s a major red flag they are lying through their teeth.
Especially when to them, FACTS are racist… Facts are immaterial. Facts don’t matter, just feelings!”
“Mitch McConnell may have salvaged his party’s chances to recapture the House in 2022.” There has been no salvation, any attempt to quell the waters by china mitch or the rest is useless. The gop committed suicide on Jan 6th, all attempts for a reresection are fruitless. The gop is dead until such time they divest themselves of the likes of mitch, mittens, chaney, and a long list of others, I am keeping track and my list grows every damn time another gop idiot stands up and claims to represent me, when they don’t give a damn about you, me or anyone but themselves and their reelection next time around.
John? I don’t know if you been watching but, President Trump has been removing people from left and right. He is forming a New Republican party of the good ones, not rhino’s as they say for whatever reason. I trust Trump to make things right. I trust God to help him and us. We have to be patient and let them work. I just hope it all comes out soon, so Trump can be back in office again.
I have been watching and yes he is working to remove bad ones, the problem is about 85% of them or more, need to go. IF you watch and listen to the rhetoric from the party, the vast majority have completely forgotten the 2020 election and are focusing on 2022, their focus as always, is on their own political career, we the people and 2020 be damned. I said they committed suicide on Jan 6th and are still shooting themselves in the head as we move forward. The number of those who did not stand up on Jan 6th was far too large, the fact is, every damn one of them should have been standing and screaming for and “investigation” into the election, they did not. IF you are watching what is going on NOW in AZ and soon to be other states and the audits, you are seeing just why they should have stood and demanded an investigation, what is happening now is simply the proof they should have, they did not. The fact that they caved in just like they always do when the spotlight is on them, simply shows they are a bunch of neutered damn cowards. Sadly, it is a fact the only ones with balls are a couple of new members, both women MTG and Lauren Bobert, the majority of the rest remain spineless and useless, they lost ANY support of mine on Jan 6th. The problem with what Trump is doing, is not that he is working to remove traitors, it is the fact he cannot get them all.
THEN REMOVE all 85% of those rinos.. GET THEM OUT OF govt period.
David Limbaugh, I guess you think your something. Something of a looser. I Don’t know who you think you are or where you were when Trump was doing a fantastic job of running this country, and without your help, I might say. He had everything perfect. Then Biden does his cheating and stealing and somehow Is in. Funny how all you Commy people stick together. Biden has been so jealous because Trump got in with barely even trying and had no Politics background, but did better than you could have or any President in Generations has. Biden for his 47 years of doing nothing didn’t deserve to win. Go peddle your BS somewhere else. Not to people who actually Love Trump and what he did for our Country.