Tim Ryan: GOP getting ‘twisted up in knots, trying to figure out how to spin’ Jan. 6

A day after delivering a fiery speech on the House floor shaming Republicans for excusing the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) doubled down on his attacks on the GOP. 

“I vented last night, so I feel a little bit better,” Ryan said during an appearance on CNN Thursday morning. “It’s ridiculous. These guys are getting wrapped around the axle, twisted up in knots, trying to figure out how to spin this thing.” 

“These guys are getting wrapped around the axle, twisted up in knots, trying to figure out how to spin this thing,” Democratic Rep. @TimRyan says on GOP lawmakers against the commission to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection.https://t.co/zGccpLOgIT pic.twitter.com/Je8IYQWHWJ

— New Day (@NewDay) May 20, 2021

The House on Wednesday passed a bill brokered through a deal between House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and ranking member John Katko (R-N.Y.) to set up a commission to investigate the attack on the Capitol. 

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced opposition to the bill earlier in the week, as has Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The bill needs 10 Republican votes in the Senate in order to overcome procedural hurdles.  

During his speech on Wednesday, Ryan slammed Republicans on Capitol Hill for for not supporting the bipartisan bill, saying it smacked of “incoherence.” 

“To the other 90 percent of our friends on the other side of the aisle, holy cow! Incoherence! No idea what you’re talking about!” Ryan said. “Benghazi! You guys chased the former secretary of State all over the country. Spent millions of dollars! We have people scaling the Capitol, hitting the Capitol Police with lead pipes across the head, and we can’t get bipartisanship?”

During his CNN appearance, Ryan said Republicans are ignoring the plight of Capitol Police officers, many of whom have said they are experiencing severe PTSD from the attack. One Capitol Police officer and one D.C. Metro police officer died by suicide in the days after responding to the riot.

“How could you ignore this?” Ryan asked. “It’s wrong. Everyone knows what’s happening here. And it just reaffirms that the Republican Party right now is not a serious political party.”