Alabama representatives vote along party lines in Jan. 6 commission

WASHINGTON (WSFA) - On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed a bill to establish an independent commission on the deadly Capitol riots on Jan. 6.

The bill passed 252-175. Thirty-five Republicans voted with Democrats to approve the legislation, which now goes to the Senate.

All of Alabama’s Republican representatives - Robert Aderholt, Mo Brooks, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Gary Palmer and Mike Rogers - voted against the bill. The state’s lone Democratic representative, Terri Sewell, voted for it.

Moore and Sewell released statements after the vote.

From Rep. Moore:

“For months, Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats have gleefully politicized this dark day in our nation’s history and have proven that they are incapable of conducting a nonpartisan investigation into the January 6th riot at the U.S. Capitol. Democrats’ blatant acts of partisanship have irreparably tarnished the effort to hold lawbreakers accountable and demonstrated their unwillingness to address the countless other instances of political violence that have taken place over the last several years. I am not confident in the Democrats’ ability to conduct a fair investigation, and I could not support this legislation.”

From Rep. Sewell:

“The violent assault on the U.S. Capitol that occurred on January 6th marked a dark day in America’s history. As I was lying on the floor in the House Chamber huddled with other Members of Congress, struggling to fit on a gas mask and fearing the impending violence, I trembled and wept not only for our safety but for the future of our democracy. While we managed to escape unharmed, I was devastated to learn that the mob, incited by President Trump, caused the deaths of five Americans including one Capitol Police officer.”

“While hundreds of prosecutions are underway, many unanswered questions remain about how such an attack could have happened. For months, scores of national security professionals and patriotic Americans on both sides of the aisle have been calling for a 9/11-style commission to investigate this attack, and I am proud to join my colleagues in voting to make such a commission a reality. Such an unprecedented assault on our democracy demands nothing less.”

Leaders say the bill will bring about a bipartisan investigation into the Capitol riots that tried to prevent Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election win.