Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked legislation Friday calling for the creation of a panel to investigate the deadly January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol aimed at preventing the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s presidential victory over incumbent Donald Trump. As expected, Republicans used a procedural tactic known as a filibuster to block the bill, which would have launched a bipartisan investigation into the insurrection. It was the first successful use of a filibuster during the Biden presidency to stop Senate legislative action.The 54-35 vote was shy of the 60 votes need to advance the measure.Because the 100-member Senate is equally divided, Democrats needed 10 Republicans to vote in favor of the bill.FILE – Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky speaks on the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Feb. 13, 2021.That was unlikely because many Republican senators remain loyal to Trump and followed the guidance of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who opposed the commission.McConnell, who once said Trump was responsible for “provoking” the riot, more recently dismissed the legislation as nothing more than a “political exercise” since Senate committees are already investigating Capitol security shortcomings.On Jan. 6, Trump implored thousands of supporters who had come to Washington for a protest rally “to “fight like hell” to overturn his defeat shortly before the riot that left five people dead, including a federal police officer.A vote on the measure had been expected Thursday but was delayed by lengthy consideration of another bill.The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, which has 435 voting members, previously passed the legislation with some Republican support.
…