Resolution Condemns RNC For ‘Whitewashing And Lying' About Jan. 6 Insurrection

Michigan Advance

March 20, 2022

While the Republican National Committee (RNC) continues to try and block a subpoena from a U.S. House select committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol, a resolution recently introduced in the Michigan House condemns the RNC for referring to the January 6, 2021, insurrection as “legitimate political discourse.”

The non-binding HR 241, introduced March 1 by Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit), says that such a reference is akin to “whitewashing and lying about the violent, deadly, and seditious” attack, which was “a destructive, heinous attack on our democracy (resulting) in at least five deaths, including a Capitol Police officer, and well over 100 injuries.”

The resolution was referred to the House Committee on Government Operations, where it is likely to remain as GOP leaders at the state and federal level remain steadfast in stonewalling any effort to investigate the insurrection.

That effort took legal form last week as the RNC filed a lawsuit against the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, trying to forestall a subpoena seeking data from Salesforce, an email communication platform used by the party. Meanwhile, the committee agreed on Wednesday to extend the subpoena’s deadline by at least two weeks.

Tate’s resolution makes mention of the fact that the Select Committee includes Republicans Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who, “along with the Democratic committee members, deserve commendation for their work to investigate the January 6, 2021, insurrection…” However, it then notes that an RNC resolution was adopted to “formally censure Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and to no longer support them as members of the Republican Party,” as they are part of a “persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.”

Another non-binding resolution, as previously reported by The Advance, was recently introduced by Tate, but is also likely to languish in committee over much the same reason.

Introduced on Tuesday, it condemns the false 2020 Electoral College certificates submitted by Republicans and urges the Department of Justice as well attorneys general in Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico and Wisconsin, “to prosecute these fake electors for their misdeeds to the fullest extent of the law.”

That matter was referred in January by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Michigan.

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