US House Speaker Pelosi announces plans for '9/11-type commission' to probe Capitol riots

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on February 15 announced in a letter to House Democrats plans for the creation of a “9/11 type commission” to investigate the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. According to CNN, a commission of this nature would be established by a statute, passed by both chambers, and signed into law by the President. The members of the commission will not be elected leaders but those outside the government. 

In the letter, Pelosi wrote, “To protect our security, our next step will be to establish an outside, independent 9/11-type Commission to 'investigate and report on the facts and causes relating to January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex”. 

It is worth noting that Pelosi had previously called for the formation of such a commission and had said that she believes there is a need for it. In a separate letter to House Democrats, Pelosi had written that it is clear that the country will need to establish a 9/11-type commission to examine and report upon the facts, causes, and security relating to the terrorist mob attack on January 6. Back in January, she had also announced that retired Lt. General Russel Honoré will lead a review of the “security infrastructure” of Capitol Hill in the wake of the attack. 

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Capitol riots 

On January 6, a group of then US President Donald Trump’s loyalists stormed the Capitol building, clashing with the police, damaging property, seizing the inauguration stage, and occupying the rotunda. The unrest had taken place after Trump urged his supporters to protest what he claimed to be a stolen election. Following the horrifying incident, Trump has been blocked on all major social media platforms at least until after he is out of office. 

Five people were killed in the riots. The deadly attack even prompted the House Democrats to move to impeach Trump. The Senate trial that ended this weekend acquitted Trump. In the Senate Chamber on Saturday, 57 senators voted to convict the former US President Donald Trump but a two-thirds majority in the 100-member body was required to formally punish and bar him from running for office again. 

(With inputs from ANI)

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