Democrats in the House are hot to get public relations mileage out of the January 6th riot. But months of riots led by their allies, riots that resulted in deaths, the looting of entire downtown areas, citywide vandalism, and arson, all committed by Antifa and BLM? Not to mention the attack on Steve Scalise and others at a congressional sporting event? Oh well, those they want to ignore. No deal, says House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.

FNC: “House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced Tuesday that he opposes a bipartisan agreement on a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol that was announced on Friday, as other Republicans came out against the deal as well.

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“The agreement, hammered out by Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and ranking member John Katko, R-N.Y., met one Republican demand that it include equal representation from both parties. But it failed to meet another that some Republicans expressed – that it would also investigate last summer’s riots that plagued American cities and other left-wing violence. That’s why McCarthy, R-Calif., said Monday he cannot support the agreement. McCarthy’s opposition to the legislation is notable given that he himself deputized Katko to negotiate the bill on behalf of Republicans. It could indicate a potentially partisan vote on the commission in the House, which would kneecap its legitimacy from the beginning. McCarthy’s opposition is looming over a House Rules Committee meeting on the legislation Tuesday.”

“The renewed focus by Democrats to now stand up an additional commission ignores the political violence that has struck American cities, a Republican congressional baseball practice, and, most recently, the deadly attack on Capitol Police on April 2, 2021,” McCarthy said. “The presence of this political violence in American society cannot be tolerated and it cannot be overlooked. I have communicated this to our Democrat colleagues for months and its omission is deeply concerning.”

McCarthy added: “Given the political misdirections that have marred this process, given the now duplicative and potentially counterproductive nature of this effort, and given the speaker’s shortsighted scope that does not examine interrelated forms of political violence in America, I cannot support this legislation.”

Democrats responded, “I have to tell you, I’m looking at the minority leader’s statement and I’m pissed, to be honest with you,” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-MA, said. “Because I’m also looking at the letters that he sent to the speaker throughout this process expressing concern over provisions that he wanted addressed… Both Mr. Thompson and Mr. Katko appear to have addressed every one of his concerns.”

Republicans shot back hard and true. “I still have serious concerns about this legislation. First and foremost, I’m concerned about the scope of the commission,” ranking member Tom Cole, R-OK, said.

“The events of Jan. 6 did not emerge in a vacuum. Instead, that even is part of a broader wave of violence that has accompanied increasing coarsening of politics over the last several years, and worsening since the COVID-19 pandemic,” he continued. “Given that many events are inextricably linked, it makes sense to grant… capability to look more broadly at the political violence in this country, including widespread violence of last summer and previous attempts to attack members of this body.”