On the eve of the first scheduled meeting of the House select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 riot, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a last-ditch effort to seat the Republicans who House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected from the committee.
The Republican speaker on Monday evening brought a privileged resolution to the floor to condemn Pelosi’s refusal and urge her to seat all five of his picks: Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana as ranking member, along with Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Rodney Davis of Illinois, Troy Nehls of Texas, and Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota.
Democrats blocked the attempt, succeeding with a motion to table the legislation 218-197.
The two Republicans and notorious critics of former President Donald Trump whom Pelosi appointed to sit on the committee, Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, joined with Democrats to block the resolution. They were the only two Republicans, whom McCarthy earlier in the day dubbed “Pelosi Republicans,” to do so.
CHENEY TO GIVE OPENING STATEMENT IN KICK-OFF JAN. 6 COMMITTEE HEARING
Cheney is set to take a starring role in the select committee hearing on Tuesday morning by delivering an opening statement in the body’s first public meeting. The committee will hear testimony from four police officers who defended the Capitol during the attack, featuring video from violent clashes throughout the day.
“For the first known time in the history of the House, the Speaker of the House rejected two of the Minority Leader’s nominees to a Select Committee,” McCarthy’s resolution said. “Speaker’s Pelosi’s own press office acknowledged that this was an ‘unprecedented decision.’”
“Speaker Pelosi’s refusal to seat all five Republican Members directly harms the legitimacy, credibility, and integrity of the Select Committee,” it said.
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Pelosi last week took the unprecedented step of rejecting two of McCarthy’s five recommendations to sit on the Democratic-controlled House select committee, Banks and Jordan, arguing they would destroy its integrity. McCarthy pulled all five of his picks from his recommendation in response.
The move prompted some Republicans to call for harsh consequences against Cheney and Kinzinger and pledge retaliation should they win back the majority after the 2022 election.
