House Republicans took a beating on Twitter Wednesday after a report in USA TODAY claimed the GOP blocked a vote that would have created an independent commission to investigate allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. (The report was published before news broke Wednesday afternoon that Robert Mueller had been appointed as special counsel to take over the Russia investigation.)
GOP blocks House vote on independent Russia-Trump investigation https://t.co/szjwkMQXjX
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 17, 2017
According to USA TODAY:
House Republicans blocked a vote Wednesday on legislation to create an independent commission to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.
A Democratic effort to force a vote failed, with only one Republican – Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina – joining them in a procedural vote that would have allowed them to bring up the bill.
…
The bill’s 199 cosponsors include two Republicans – Jones and Rep. Justin Amash, of Michigan. Amash voted with his party to block bringing up the bill.
Voted to block the same bill he cosponsored? That’s … strange. Maybe there was no such vote Wednesday.
This story is false. We voted on a procedural motion connected to a totally unrelated piece of legislation. @USATODAY refuses to correct. https://t.co/YkcFfotEIp
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 17, 2017
@justinamash @byrdinator @USATODAY So are you saying you support an independent commission?
— Brad Ripka (@WaltThatcher) May 18, 2017
@WaltThatcher @justinamash @byrdinator @USATODAY He's a cosponsor on the bill, per the article.
— Shaun Lichti (@shaunlichti) May 18, 2017
According to The Hill, House Democrats are collecting names on a discharge position that would move the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which would create a 12-member, bipartisan investigative commission, out of committee and to the House floor for a vote.
Amash, along with Rep. Walter Jones, are the only two Republicans so far to have signed on to the petition.
Correction: While Amash did cosponsor of Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell’s bill to create and independent commission, he did not sign the discharge petition, which is an attempt to force a vote on the bill.
DNC chair Tom Perez got it right in a tweet Wednesday morning — the part about the discharge petition, at least.
House Democrats have filed a discharge petition to force a vote on an independent #TrumpRussia commission.
— Team Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) May 17, 2017
House Republicans have a choice: sign the discharge petition forcing a vote on an independent investigation or be complicit in the cover-up. https://t.co/VGTgynrRh2
— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) May 17, 2017
Proud part of effort to force House vote on independent Trump-Russia commission #ProtectOurDemocracy #FollowTheFacts https://t.co/dWjkjQ7BNe pic.twitter.com/RKvmMwLf6f
— Dutch Ruppersberger (@Call_Me_Dutch) May 17, 2017
Today I joined my colleagues in signing a discharge petition to force the House to vote on the Protecting Our Democracy Act #FollowtheFacts
— James E. Clyburn (@Clyburn) May 17, 2017
The Democrats on the House Oversight Committee and the DNC’s deputy chair, however, retweeted the USA TODAY story as it stood, with the claim that the House had voted down the creation of an independent commission.
GOP blocks House vote on independent Russia-Trump investigation https://t.co/QpfpVAkeJL via @usatoday
— House OversightDems (@OversightDems) May 17, 2017
House Republicans blocked a vote to create independent commission to investigate Russian election interference. https://t.co/hcfuAnokG7
— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) May 17, 2017
That tweet garnered nearly 1,000 likes and more than 1,500 retweets after being up six hours and generated plenty of criticism of the GOP.
@keithellison Makes me wonder what @GOP is so afraid of from an independent commission. How deep does this poison travel in their ranks? #TrumpRussia
— Barb (@Barbhrmn) May 17, 2017
@keithellison There are no words to convey the depth of this citizen's frustration & rage with GOP partisans.
— Otter Mind (@ottermind) May 17, 2017
@keithellison @GOP @HouseGOP shame on you! By putting party over country you are all complicit and should be indicted as accessories.
— Albiewahn (@albievc1964) May 17, 2017
@keithellison Republican TRAITORS!!!
— Tony (@ABswl16) May 17, 2017
@keithellison @johnastoehr Of course they did. #Traitors
— Amy (@AmyHurd9) May 17, 2017
@keithellison @JJohnson2u Of course they did! They're all idiots!
— Tracy C (@TracyCu04619530) May 17, 2017
@keithellison @Russpoljunkie They're hiding something big otherwise they wouldn't have a problem with this. Shame on them. Their corruption is deplorable.
— (((Judy Blue ))) (@judydchandler) May 17, 2017
@keithellison If there is nothing to hide than why block it? Let the truth come out and everyone will stop talking about it.
— Muhammed J. Bawany (@bawanies) May 17, 2017
@keithellison Lock em up!
— Case Beasley (@Casey_1_) May 17, 2017
@keithellison LOCK ALL OF THEM UP!
— Dean Rohrer (@wdrohrer) May 17, 2017
@keithellison @LDubblu Why the hell do they keep voting this shit down?
— Bend like a boss (@Zingzangboom) May 17, 2017
@keithellison @justinamash cosponsonsered bill and then voted with his party
— Tobi☀ (@tobibeth1) May 17, 2017
Repeat: Nobody voted on the bill Wednesday. No wonder Amash is especially keen to have the record corrected.
@justinamash @USATODAY Just the status quo for today's "journalists"
— Fishing 4 Liberty (@jdpope86) May 17, 2017
Haven’t you heard? It’s the golden age of political reporting.
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Related:
Fake news: No one's in jail for laughing at Jeff Sessions, and no one's 'going after' Colbert https://t.co/xzIOS1s7tx
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 6, 2017
