#BREAKING: 54-35, Senate Republicans block effort to open debate on bill to create an outside commission to probe Jan. 6 attack. The vote marks their first successful legislative filibuster this Congress. House Dems are now considering opening a Dem-led probe into the attack
The six Rs who voted to advance bill:
Murkowksi
Collins
Cassidy
Sasse
Romney
Portman
Pat Toomey, who voted to convict Trump in February, skipped the vote. He told me for days he was “undecided”
Senate Democrats are likely to wait until the fall for their next stab at using the budget reconciliation process, which allows them to circumvent a filibuster, according to a person with knowledge of the discussions.
While no final decision has been made, the calendar is making this a very likely scenario, source says, confirming @bresreports@JakeSherman
Even though the Senate parliamentarian said earlier this year they could use the fiscal 2021 budget multiple times this fiscal year, they would have to do it a second time by the end of September. (The first time they used it was to enact the massive covid relief package.)
Despite Sen. John Cornyn's tweet in February that he backs a 9/11-style outside commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack, the Texas Republican told me today that such a probe is now better suited for the standing committees of Congress.
Asked what changed, Cornyn told CNN: “The process has been hijacked for political purposes. And I think that's a shame. ... There is another way to do it, and that's use our standing committees.”
But the bipartisan legislation that passed the House was modeled after the 9/11 Commission, with an equal number of commissioners on both sides who hold joint subpoena power.
New - Pelosi has previously signaled this would be her last term as speaker - but she hasn’t shut door to running again or for re-election. Her potential successors on Hill and SF are watching her closely as she ramps up fundraising with majority on line. cnn.com/2021/05/20/pol…
Hoyer, Clyburn and Jeffries all wouldn't say whether they'd vie for top job if Pelosi quits. "I'll let the drama, in terms of House dynamics, exist on the Republican side of the aisle," Jeffries said.
"I'm still contemplating," Clyburn said
"I'm not thinking about it," Hoyer said
In her San Francisco district, a number of names have emerged as potential replacements, including her daughter, Christine.
Among the defectors: Liz Cheney
Tom Rice
Dan Newhouse
Anthony Gonzalez
Adam Kinzinger
Fred Upton
Jamie Herrera Buetler
Peter Meijer
John Katko
David Valadao
Tom Reed
Don Bacon
John Curtis
Brian Fitzpatrick
Andrew Garbarino
Tony Gonzales
Dusty Johnson
David Joyce
Chris Smith
Van Taylor
Chris Jacobs
McKinley
Jeff Fortenberry
Maria Salazar
Marianette Miller-Meeks
Steve Womack
Stephanie Bice
French Hill
Mike Simpson
Rodney Davis
Barry Moore
Michael Guest
Trey Hollingsworth
Carlos Gimenez
If Senate Republicans ultimately block a bipartisan bill to create an independent commission to probe the Jan. 6 attack, Democrats in the House could establish a select committee to investigate the insurrection.
Select committees typically are made up of members of Congress and the majority party would drive the investigation. It would almost certainly have subpoena power as well.
The outside commission is different because it would be comprised of individuals outside of Congress, with both parties making joint decisions on subpoenas. And there would be 10 commissioners equally divided between the two parties.