Biden won’t create presidential commission on January 6 attack

President Joe Biden has no plans to create a presidential commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Thursday.

“As the President has said, the events of January 6th were an unprecedented assault on our democracy — and he believes they deserve a full, and independent, investigation to determine what transpired and ensure it can never happen again,” Psaki said in a statement to CNN.

“Congress was attacked on that day, and President Biden firmly agrees with Speaker Pelosi that Congress itself has a unique role and ability to carry out that investigation. Because of that, the President doesn’t plan to appoint his own commission.”

Axios first reported Psaki’s statement ruling out a commission.

The decision is unsurprising given other Democratic leaders had already dismissed the idea of a presidential commission. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently told her caucus that that commission would not have subpoena power unless it was empowered by Congress, which is unlikely, as CNN already reported.

Instead, Pelosi is prepared to initiate a House-led investigation.

Biden has made clear his desire for a commission, according to sources familiar with his thinking, but has agreed it should not come from the executive branch.

The decision from Biden follows a pattern of declining to insert himself — or get sucked into — any activities involving former President Donald Trump. With the exception of reversing many of Trump’s policies, Biden has steered clear of getting drawn into the former President’s orbit.

A White House official told CNN that a presidential commission was never really under consideration.