Rep. Ashley Hinson explains ‘no’ vote on insurrection commission

Though she believes getting "to the bottom“ of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol is a priority, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson is defending her vote against a congressional commission to investigate it.

"It's horrible, and I do believe we need to get to the bottom of the attack," the 1st District Republican said during a Friday phone call with reporters.

Hinson pointed to a bill she co-sponsored after the attack in January that would have established such a commission and reiterated she wants "to see justice served."

But she said she voted against creating the independent, bipartisan commission last week because she believes it might "interfere with ongoing law enforcement investigations" by the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice.

"Hundreds of people have been charged, and I want to see those investigations move forward," she said.

Iowa Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks co-sponsored the January bill with Hinson, but joined 34 other House Republicans in voting yes on the commission.

“We need to make sure something like this never happens again,” she said Thursday.

The measure, which passed the House on Wednesday, 252-175, would set up a 10-member commission evenly split between Democrats and Republicans to investigate the attack. It is modeled after the panel that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, last week questioned the need for such a commission.

Hinson said she hadn't ruled out voting for such a commission in the future.

"I might support something moving forward, but I want to make sure these investigations come to fruition," she said. "And then we'll have some answers and figure out what we need to do."

Infrastructure bill

Hinson also said she is "closely watching" the conversations a group of Republican senators has been holding with the Biden administration on a compromise infrastructure package.

The Biden administration last week trimmed the proposed package from $2.3 trillion to $1.7 trillion.

Hinson said she favors the $568 billion infrastructure plan proposed by Republicans but said she is open to compromise.

"I'm hopeful as we continue to have these conversations that we're able to come to the middle on these packages," she said.