House Speaker Mike Johnson has promised to formally establish a new committee to investigate the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. This new committee, led by GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia, is part of a broader effort by Republicans to continue and expand investigations that began in the previous Congress. With control of both houses of Congress and the White House, Republicans are taking the opportunity to move forward with their priorities and follow through on long-running political inquiries.
Loudermilk revealed that the details of this new committee are still being worked out, but it is expected to be a select committee. This designation means the committee would have more flexibility in its structure and membership, with Speaker Johnson having significant influence over the appointment of its members. Loudermilk’s work on the January 6th investigation has been closely followed by Republicans, who argue that the attack was the result of numerous failures at various levels of government, rather than being solely the result of actions by former President Donald Trump.
The new committee will likely continue to investigate the broader security response to the Capitol attack, as well as any potential legal accountability for those involved. Loudermilk has previously suggested that former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who played a prominent role in the previous January 6th select committee, could be charged by the FBI. This indicates that the GOP-led committee plans to take a more critical view of the earlier investigation, particularly with regard to the actions of those who led it, including Cheney and Rep. Adam Schiff.
One of the driving forces behind the new committee is the desire to focus on the broader context of the Capitol riot. While the original select committee led by Cheney and Schiff was criticized by Republicans for being too focused on Trump’s role in the events of January 6th, the GOP plans to present a more nuanced perspective. Loudermilk argued that there were multiple factors at play on January 6, and the investigation should reflect that. This shift in focus is part of the broader GOP strategy to ensure that the political fallout from the Capitol attack does not continue to target Trump and his supporters.
Speaker Johnson has also pledged that the new committee will be “fully funded,” ensuring that it has the resources it needs to conduct a thorough investigation. Republicans, eager to revisit the findings of the previous committee, are also bringing back some of the investigative tools used in earlier inquiries. For example, they have reissued subpoenas related to special counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents and other related matters. These subpoenas are a continuation of efforts that were left unresolved in the previous Congress, reflecting the GOP’s commitment to pushing forward with their political investigations.
At the same time, some Democrats have expressed concern about the direction of these ongoing investigations. Sen. Adam Schiff, a former key member of the January 6th select committee, has suggested that he might reject any potential pardon offered by President Biden to those involved in the Congressional inquiry. Schiff, who has long criticized the use of pardons, explained that accepting one could be seen as an admission of guilt. If that were the case, it could complicate the legal status of those individuals if they were to be called to testify under oath.
Legal experts have noted that pardons do not shield individuals from testifying under oath if they are subpoenaed. This could have significant implications for individuals like Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci, both of whom were on the list of those granted pardons by Biden. While the pardons protect them from criminal prosecution, they do not provide immunity from legal proceedings, which could include testimony in Congress. In fact, some experts view these pardons as a way to ensure that individuals are still compelled to testify if called to do so.
