Before the vote to establish a commission on the Capitol attack, the House defeated an effort by minority leader Kevin McCarthy to end the mask mandate in the chamber. Several Republican lawmakers have been refusing to wear masks. Nancy Pelosi has maintained that the mask mandate shuold remain in place, as it’s unclear that all the lawmakers and their staff have been vaccinated. Several Republicans have publicly rejected the vaccine or refused to disclose whether or not they had gotten it. McCarthy nevertheless argued against the mandate by saying it “sends the erroneous message that the efficacy of the vaccines cannot be trusted. House votes to establish a commission to investigate the Capitol attack The House voted 252-175 to establish a commission investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol. Among those who voted in favor of establishing the commission were 35 Republicans. John Katko, the Republican ranking member of the House homeland security committee helped write the bill to establish the commission, had urged his fellow Republicans to support the proposal. “I strongly believe this is a fair and necessary legislation,” Katko said. “I encourage all members, Republicans and Democrats alike, to put down their swords for once, just for once and support this bill.” But the legislation will face big hurdles in Senate, as minority leader Mitch McConnell opposes the bill. McConnell called the commission “slanted” despite concessions that Republicans and Democrats would be equally represented on it. House leader Nancy Pelosi slammed Republicans who opposed the bill. “It sounds like they are afraid of the truth, and that’s most unfortunate, but hopefully they’ll get used to the idea that the American people want us to find the truth,” she said. Republicans flout mask requirement in US House chamber Coral Murphy Marcos Republicans in Congress are rebelling against the mask requirement on the House chamber, which remains in place due to Covid-19 safety concerns from Democrats, who hold the majority. During votes on Tuesday, several Republican lawmakers refused to wear masks as they stood in the chamber and encouraged other members to join them. Lawmakers who refuse to wear a face covering are subject to a fine of $500 for the first offense and subsequent offenses can result in a $2,500 fine. In practice, however, the House sergeant-at-arms gives a warning for the first offense. The seven lawmakers who received warnings include Representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, Louie Gohmert of Texas and Mary Miller of Illinois, according to the Associated Press. Greene, a Republican extremist, posted a photo of herself with three other Republicans on the House floor without masks. The Georgia lawmaker tweeted: “End the oppression!” along with: “#FreeYourFace.” Massie also tweeted a card casting a “No” vote, along with a caption estimating that 10 Republicans were going maskless on the floor on Tuesday. The Republican stunt comes after the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, said on Thursday that she would continue requiring masks to be worn on the floor of the chamber. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said earlier that day that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in almost all settings, including indoors. When asked why she kept the mask rule for the chamber, Pelosi told Bloomberg that it’s not known how many lawmakers and their staff are vaccinated. Democratic lawmakers in both chambers of Congress have a 100% vaccination rate against Covid-19, according to answers from a CNN survey of Capitol Hill published on Friday. However, for Republicans, the numbers are less clear. In total, it is estimated that at least 44% of House members are vaccinated and at least 92% of senators are. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said he met with Israel’s Meir Ben-Shabbat and Egypt, as the Biden administration urges de-escalation. Egypt has been pushing for a brokered end to the conflict, which has killed 227 people in Gaza, including 64 children. The Egyptian effort is gaining momentum, as my colleagues Martin Chulov and Julian Borger report: For nearly a century she was denied a voice by a culture of silence. Finally, at the age of 107, Viola Fletcher got a national stage on Wednesday to bear witness to America’s deep history of racial violence. Fletcher is the oldest living survivor of a massacre that took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on 31 May and 1 June 1921 when a white mob attacked the city’s “Black Wall Street”, killing an estimated 300 African Americans while robbing and burning more than 1,200 businesses, homes and churches. She was just seven years old at the time. For decades the atrocity was actively covered up and wished away. But Fletcher and her 100-year-old brother are seeking reparations and, ahead of the massacre’s centenary, appeared before a House of Representatives judiciary subcommittee considering legal remedies. Congressman Steve Cohen, chairman of the panel, acknowledged coronavirus restrictions and said: “Those in the room, I’d like to ask you to keep your face mask on at all times unless you’re speaking – or unless you’re over a hundred years old.” Fletcher, born before the first world war, said she was visiting Washington for the first time in her life. She had left home at 6am on Tuesday and got to her hotel after midnight. Wearing an aquamarine jacket, floral blouse, glasses and headphones, she read steadily from a prepared statement. “I am here seeking justice,” Fletcher said. “I am here asking my country to acknowledge what happened in Tulsa in 1921.” She recalled how the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa had once been a thriving and affluent African American community where she could have lived her own American dream. But this bright future was suddenly taken away. “The night of the massacre, I was awakened by my family. My parents and five siblings were there. I was told we had to leave and that was it. “I will never forget the violence of the white mob when we left our home. I still see Black men being shot, Black bodies lying in the street. I still smell smoke and see fire. I still see Black businesses being burned. I still hear airplanes flying overhead. I hear the screams. I have lived through the massacre every day.” The hearing was told that there has never been any direct compensation from the city or state for massacre survivors or their descendants, and that racial disparities, compounded by gentrification and urban planning, persist in Tulsa today – a microcosm of America. Fletcher continued: “Our country may forget this history but I cannot. I will not and other survivors do not and our descendants do not. When my family was forced to leave Tulsa, I lost my chance of an education. I never finished school past the fourth grade. I have never made much money. “My country, state and city took a lot from me. Despite this, I spent time supporting the war effort in the shipyards of California. But most of my life, I was a domestic worker serving white families. I never made much money. To this day, I can barely afford my everyday needs.” Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Maanvi Singh, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: Joe Biden told Benjamin Netanyahu he expects a “significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire,” according to a White House readout of the latest call between the US president and the Israeli prime minister. The call comes as Israeli forces and Hamas continue to exchange attacks in Gaza, and Netanyahu said today that Israel is “determined to continue this operation until its aim is met”. The House is now debating the bill to form a bipartisan commission to study the January 6 insurrection. The Democratic-controlled House is expected to pass the bill, but the legislation will face hurdles in the evenly divided Senate. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell announced today that he opposes the bill. House speaker Nancy Pelosi sharply criticized Republicans for opposing the January 6 commission bill. The Democratic speaker said at a press conference this afternoon, “It sounds like they are afraid of the truth, and that’s most unfortunate, but hopefully they’ll get used to the idea that the American people want us to find the truth.” Survivors of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre testified before a House committee, as lawmakers consider whether to compensate the massacre survivors and their descendants. One survivor, 107-year-old Viola Fletcher, told the committee, “I am here seeking justice. I am here asking my country to acknowledge what happened in Tulsa in 1921.” The Texas governor signed a bill banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, despite widespread criticism from the medical and legal communities. Abortion rights groups have indicated they will legally challenge the law. Maanvi will have more coming up, so stay tuned. Although most House Republicans are expected to oppose the January 6 commission bill, the GOP members who are participating in the floor debate have largely spoken in favor of the legislation, a New York Times reporter noted. John Katko, the Republican ranking member of the House homeland security committee who helped craft the bill to form a bipartisan commission to study the January 6 insurrection, urged his fellow Republicans to support the proposal. “I strongly believe this is a fair and necessary legislation,” Katko said in a House floor speech. “I encourage all members, Republicans and Democrats alike, to put down their swords for once, just for once and support this bill.” Katko is one of the 10 House Republicans who supported impeaching Donald Trump for inciting the insurrection in January. Another one of those 10 Republicans, Fred Upton, said in a speech that he will also support the bill. “January 6 is going to haunt this institution for a long, long time,” Upton said. The House is now beginning up to one hour of debate on the bipartisan bill to form a 9/11-style commission to study the Capitol insurrection. The lower chamber voted along party lines, 216 to 208, to begin debate on the bill. The legislation itself is expected to attract some Republican support, despite House minority leader Kevin McCarthy’s opposition to the proposal. The family of US Capitol Police Officer Howard “Howie” Liebengood has put out a statement in support of the bipartisan bill to form a commission to study the January 6 insurrection. Liebengood died by suicide days after the insurrection, making him one of two US Capitol Police officers who died in the immediate wake of the attack. “We believe a thorough, non-partisan investigation into the root causes of and the response to the January 6th riot is essential for our nation to move forward,” Liebengood’s family members said in their statement, which was released by their congresswoman, Democrat Jennifer Wexton. “Howie’s death was an immediate outgrowth of those events. Every officer who worked that day, as well as their families, should have a better understanding of what happened. Uncovering the facts will help our nation heal and may lessen the lingering emotional bitterness that has divided our country. We implore Congress to work as one and establish the proposed Commission.” The House will vote on the bill to form the commission this evening, and it is expected to pass, although it is unclear whether the legislation can make it through the Senate. Pelosi slams Republicans for opposing January 6 commission: "They are afraid of the truth" House speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press conference to emphasize her support for the bipartisan bill to create a 9/11-style commission to study the Capitol insurrection. The Democratic speaker noted that Republican congressman John Katko secured many of his party’s requested changes to the legislation, yet House minority leader Kevin McCarthy is still not supporting it. “In the interest of bipartisanship, we yielded on many points which we thought would be important,” Pelosi said. “We wouldn’t budge on the purpose, to examine what happened on January 6th.” Pelosi said of the Republicans opposing the bill, “It sounds like they are afraid of the truth, and that’s most unfortunate, but hopefully they’ll get used to the idea that the American people want us to find the truth.” The bill is still expected to pass the Democratic-controlled House today, but it faces an uncertain fate in the evenly divided Senate. Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell announced today that he will also oppose the legislation, describing it as “slanted”, despite the concessions to Republicans in the final bill. The US mission to the UN pushed back against a French proposal for a Security Council resolution on the violence in Gaza. When asked about the French proposal today, a US spokesperson told Reuters, “We’ve been clear and consistent that we are focused on intensive diplomatic efforts underway to bring an end to the violence and that we will not support actions that we believe undermine efforts to de-escalate.” France may circulate the text of a resolution as early as today, but a veto from the US (or any other member of the council) would prevent its approval. Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today and expressed his expectation for a de-escalation in the attacks between Israeli forces and Hamas. However, Netanyahu has shown no sign of winding down the airstrikes in Gaza, saying Israel is “determined to continue this operation until its aim is met”. Coral Murphy Marcos reports for the Guardian: The St Louis lawyer who pointed a rifle at BLM protesters outside his home is running for the US Senate in Missouri. Mark McCloskey will join the GOP race along with state Attorney General Eric Schmitt and former governor Eric Greitens. McCloskey made the announcement during an interview in Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Tuesday. McCloskey attracted national attention last June when he and his wife, Patricia McCloskey, stood on the lawn of their home and pointed a AR-15-style rifle and a semiautomatic handgun at peaceful protesters in their gated St. Louis community after the murder of George Floyd. “God came knocking on my door disguised as an angry mob. It really did wake me up,” McCloskey said during the interview on Tuesday. The attorney made a similar comment in a YouTube video announcing his candidacy, in which he criticizes “cancel culture, the poison of critical race theory” and “the lie of systemic racism”. The couple also made an appearance at the Republican National Convention last year as the opening night’s speakers. “Mark McCloskey’s only qualifying characteristic is that he irresponsibly pointed a loaded assault weapon at unarmed peaceful protestors, mostly young people of color, ignoring the trigger discipline taught by nearly every firearm instructor in America,” said Christian Heyne of Brady: United Against Gun Violence. “That he has capitalized on that notoriety is shameful and we hope that the people of Missouri recognize the need for common-sense candidates who will keep their communities safe and advance the interests of all of the state’s residents.” The seat became sought after in March when Incumbent Republican Senator Roy Blunt announced that he will not seek another term next year. Three Democrats have announced Senate bids: former state Senator Scott Sifton, activist Timothy Shepard and Marine veteran Lucas Kunce. Joe Biden will award his first Medal of Honor on Friday, as South Korean President Moon Jae-in visits the White House. “On May 21, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., will award the Medal of Honor to Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr., United States Army, Retired, for conspicuous gallantry during the Korean War. President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea will join this ceremony,” the White House said in a new statement. The White House statement describes how Puckett served as a commander in Korea in November 1950, when his unit was attacked while trying to take Hill 205. “Leaving the safety of his position and with full knowledge of the danger, First Lieutenant Puckett intentionally ran across an open area three times to draw enemy fire, thereby allowing the Rangers to locate and destroy the enemy positions and to seize Hill 205,” the White House said. New book details Obama’s real thoughts on Trump According to a new book, in conversations with advisers and donors during the Trump administration and the 2020 election, Barack Obama called Donald Trump a “madman”, a “racist, sexist pig”, “that fucking lunatic” and a “corrupt motherfucker”. The remarks are reported in Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats’ Campaigns to Defeat Donald Trump by Edward-Isaac Dovere, a staff writer at the Atlantic, which will be published next week. The Guardian obtained a copy. Extracts of Dovere’s candid reporting have been published elsewhere – including a passage in which the now first lady, Jill Biden, is quoted as saying now Vice-President Kamala Harris should “go fuck herself” after a memorable debate-stage attack. The reported remarks by Obama about Trump seem likely to prompt an angry reaction from the 45th president. Trump’s loathing for Obama is well-known and oft-expressed, beginning with his championing of the racist birther conspiracy which said Obama was not qualified to be president. Obama’s feelings are well-known, but have rarely been reported in such blunt detail. “He’s a madman,” Dovere reports Obama telling “big donors looking to squeeze a reaction out of him in exchange for the big checks they were writing to his foundation”. More often: ‘I didn’t think it would be this bad.’ Sometimes: ‘I didn’t think we’d have a racist, sexist pig.’ Depending on the outrage of the day … a passing ‘that fucking lunatic’ with a shake of his head.” Obama’s strongest remark, Dovere reports, was prompted by reports Trump was speaking to foreign leaders – including Vladimir Putin, amid the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow – without aides on the call. “‘That corrupt motherfucker,’ he remarked.” Some Republican lawmakers are admitting that they do not support the creation of a commission to study the Capitol insurrection because they worry the panel’s findings could hurt them in next year’s midterms. “I want our midterm message to be on the kinds of things that the American people are dealing with: That’s jobs and wages and the economy and national security, safe streets and strong borders -- not relitigating the 2020 elections,” Senate Republican whip John Thune told CNN. “A lot of our members, and I think this is true of a lot of House Republicans, want to be moving forward and not looking backward. Anything that gets us rehashing the 2020 elections I think is a day lost on being able to draw a contrast between us the Democrats’ very radical left-wing agenda.” The bipartisan bill to create a January 6 commission is expected to pass the House later today, but it’s unclear whether the legislation can make it through the evenly divided Senate. Donald Trump has responded to reports today that the attorney general’s office in New York has opened a criminal investigation into his business activities and those of other Trump family members. The attorney general, Letitia James, had been conducting a civil inquiry into the Trump Organization and, according to the Washington Post, in April informed the former president’s lawyers that the investigation had expanded. Her office confirmed last night that it was joining a sweeping criminal investigation being conducted in parallel by Manhattan’s district attorney, Cyrus Vance. Trump is accused of falsely manipulating the value of Trump Organization properties in order to secure bank loans and lucrative tax breaks. Trump said in a statement on Wednesday: “There is nothing more corrupt than an investigation that is in desperate search of a crime.”