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The mother of a Capitol Police officer who died after he clashed with rioters on Jan. 6 urged reluctant Republicans to support a probe into the siege.
Gladys Sicknick, mother of officer Brian Sicknick, said Wednesday she’d meet with senators as Republicans to look to block a bill that would create a bipartisan panel to look into the breach of the Capitol building.
“I suggest that all Congressmen and Senators who are against this Bill visit my son’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery and, while there, think about what their hurtful decisions will do to those officers who will be there for them going forward,” Gladys Sicknick said in a statement.
“Putting politics aside, wouldn’t they want to know the truth of what happened on January 6?”
Brian Sicknick collapsed as rioters made their way into the Capitol building as Congress was set to certify Joe Biden’s election win over then President Donald Trump. Sicknick died of natural causes the following day.
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who was removed as the House Republican Conference chair over criticisms of Trump’s claim the election was stolen, tweeted support for Sicknick.
“#ImwithGladys,” Cheney tweeted on Wednesday.
At least 10 Republicans in the Senate would need to back the bill for it to advance in a vote scheduled Thursday. Only a handful of Republican Senators not aligned with Trump have said they’d support the commission, such as Mitt Romney of Utah.
Thirty five Republicans backed the bill when it made it through the House of Representatives.
The bill getting through the Senate seems unlikely, as the commission and the Capitol siege take on a partisan tone with the debate over whether Trump riled up supporters and inspired the riots dividing some in the GOP. Trump was impeached for inciting the riot, but acquitted by the Senate earlier this year.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has said his caucus should block the bill even as some lawmakers try to reach a compromise. Both the House bill and a proposed amendment would have the final report out by the end of this year.
“I want to see a commission, we need a commission, there are a lot of unanswered questions,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Wednesday. “I am working very hard to secure Republican votes.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has pushed a vote for Thursday to show where others stand.
“After January 6th Republicans have defended the insurrectionists, blamed antifa, pretended it was a peaceful protest Rep. Cheney was fired for saying Joe Biden is President,” Schumer tweeted.
“This is a perilous moment—still—for our democracy. The Senate will vote on the January 6th Commission.”
The Senate is split 50-50 between the parties, with Vice President Kamala Harris as a tiebreaker, but the Democratic control isn’t enough to avoid a filibuster. Filibusters require 60 members to end a debate on most topics and move a vote forward.
With Post wires
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