Republicans are in the minority in both the House and the Senate. Yet, they’re still on track to derail the formation of an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.

On Thursday, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said he opposes the commission. Without Burr’s vote – he was one of the seven GOP senators to vote for Donald Trump’s second impeachment – it seems unlikely that the legislation creating the commission will garner enough support to overcome a Republican filibuster. It passed the House yesterday. Thirty-five GOP representatives voted for it, joining the entire Democratic caucus.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) was the latest Republican to whitewash the violence on January 6th, telling Fox News last night, “By and large, it was peaceful protests.”

In fact, Trump supporters erected a guillotine, set fires, and declared their intention to assassinate a number of government officials, including then-Vice President Mike Pence.

“All of the shameful comments by Republicans reveal that a bipartisan commission is even more necessary than it once was,” Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Thursday. “Republicans in both chambers are trying to rewrite history in fealty to — or in fear of — the former president, Donald Trump.”

Some GOP senators were reportedly considering voting for the commission, but their thinking changed when Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called it a “slanted and unbalanced proposal.” Many GOP opponents of the commission say it is unnecessary since other entities – including the Department of Justice – are already probing the events of January 6th.

But according to CNN, McConnell’s opposition to the commission is about protecting the GOP’s political future:

Republicans are also keenly aware of what another seven months of investigation into January 6 would mean: more talk of former President Donald Trump, more talk of the big lie, more questions each and every day about a dark day that was the culmination of months of falsehoods and fanning of the flames by many members in the GOP. If the goal is to take back the House and Senate in 2022, that’s not helpful.

In an opinion piece for The Washington Post, columnist Greg Sargent underscores that notion:

Meanwhile, an accounting threatens to expose Republicans in other ways. It might expose communications between Trump and loyalist GOP lawmakers in the lead-up to Jan. 6 that demonstrate their hopes for that day in an incriminating way. It might unearth new communications during the attack that further demonstrate both the terror experienced by lawmakers and Trump’s malevolent refusal to stop it.

Yet, CNN identifies five Republican Senators who might support the bill: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Mitt Romney of Utah.

A vote is expected in the coming days.