GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski slammed Mitch McConnell for trying to block the Capitol riot commission for 'short-term political gain'
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski criticized Mitch McConnell's attempt to block the January 6 commission.
- She said it would be "a decision for the short-term political gain at the expense of understanding."
- CNN reported that McConnell asked GOP senators to vote against the commission as a "personal favor."
GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska slammed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for attempting to block the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 riot at the US Capitol.
She spoke with reporters on Thursday, criticizing the view said to be held by McConnell and other Republicans that such a commission could hurt the GOP in the 2022 midterm elections.
She said blocking the commission would amount to "making a decision for the short-term political gain at the expense of understanding and acknowledging what was in front of us on January 6."
She said the party needed to consider whether "everything is just one election cycle after another" or "are we going to acknowledge that as, as a country that is based on these principles of democracy that we hold so dear."
Murkowski is one of the few GOP senators who support the commission. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah has said he would vote for the commission, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has said she would offer amendments to the bill passed by the House.
CNN reported Thursday that McConnell asked other GOP senators to vote against the commission as a "personal favor" to him.
The Senate is expected to vote Friday.