According to a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released to The Hill on Monday, Americans are split on their support for a Congressional commission on the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. Fifty-two percent support such a commission, while 48 percent believe that the FBI investigation is enough. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is conducting an investigation as well.
Broken up by party affiliation, it's not surprising that a majority of Republicans would oppose, with 38 percent supporting the commission, and that more Democrats would support, at 69 percent. It is curious that the percentage isn't higher of Democrats who support.
Meanwhile, 62 percent of Republicans feel the other investigations are enough, while 31 percent of Democrats do. There is an exact split when it comes to independents, at 50-50 supporting and opposing.
The Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll survey of 1,945 registered voters was conducted from May 19-20. It is a collaboration of the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University and The Harris Poll.
Full poll results will be posted online later this week. The survey is an online sample drawn from the Harris Panel and weighted to reflect known demographics. As a representative online sample, it does not report a probability confidence interval.
The bill to create the commission passed in the House with bipartisan support, by a vote of 252-175, which included 35 Republican members in addition to all of the Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had fast-tracked the legislation, and as Jordain Carney reported for The Hill, the vote could be this week. The earliest the initial vote would take place is Thursday.
The bill appears to have some Republican support in the Senate, including Sens. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), according to the Washington Post, which is tracking such support and opposition.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has also indicated support, during her Sunday appearance on ABC's "This Week." She did express a desire to address staffing of members on the commission and that it be done this year. She did say she was "optimistic" and called those issues "resolvable."
Despite sharply criticizing her GOP colleagues over blocking the proposes Jan. 6 commission, @GStephanopoulos presses Sen. Collins on new caveats to voting on it: "I don't see why the report cannot be completed by the end of this year." https://t.co/WTOoh8gB9r pic.twitter.com/CTnQos2wbx
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) May 23, 2021
Such votes were not surprising, as all three senators voted to convict former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment. Sen. Romney was the lone Republican senator to vote for Article I: Abuse of Power in Trump's first impeachment.
Not all Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in that second impeachment trial are supporting the commission, however. Sen. Richard Burr (NC) has spoken out against the bill.
In order to pass, 10 Republican senators will need to vote in favor of the bill. The likelihood has been considered low, however, especially after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) came out against the commission.
While Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) are in support of the bill, and are urging support from enough Republicans for it to pass, they are still committed in their support to keep the filibuster, Reagan reported.