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Speaker Johnson Targets Jan 6th Committee

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced on Wednesday that he will establish a new select subcommittee to investigate the events surrounding the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. This subcommittee will also likely examine the now-disbanded January 6 committee, which was headed by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), with a focus on its methods and findings.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), a staunch advocate for a more thorough investigation into January 6, will lead this new panel, which will be a part of the House Judiciary Committee. Loudermilk has long criticized the previous inquiry, and has been urging Speaker Johnson for months to form a distinct subcommittee to continue the investigation.

Designating it as a “select” subcommittee gives Johnson the exclusive authority to appoint members, allowing Republicans to shape the investigation’s direction. Many in the GOP, including Johnson, have expressed frustration with the conclusions of the previous committee, which they believe was driven by political agendas and aimed at discrediting former President Donald Trump and his supporters.

“We are proud of the progress we’ve made in exposing the misleading narratives pushed by the previous committee,” Johnson said in a statement. “However, there’s more work to be done. This new subcommittee will continue to uncover the full truth, which the American people deserve to know.”

Loudermilk echoed these sentiments, stressing that his goal is not only to investigate security failures that led to the chaos of January 6, but also to ensure that future security breaches do not happen again. “Our mission is to uncover all the facts and begin the critical work of reform,” he said.

Beyond just investigating the security breakdowns, Republicans have voiced a desire to revisit the findings and actions of the original January 6 committee. Loudermilk, in a December report, accused Cheney of witness tampering and called for a criminal investigation into her communications with Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide and key witness. Cheney, in response, dismissed Loudermilk’s accusations, claiming they were false and intended to deflect from Trump’s actions.

Adding fuel to the fire, President Biden’s last-minute pardons, including those granted to individuals involved with the January 6 committee itself, have sparked new calls for accountability. Republicans are now suggesting that these pardons remove legal protections and could open the door for questioning committee members who previously invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination.

Loudermilk, when asked about the potential to question these individuals, indicated that this is a matter that still requires deeper investigation. He also pointed out the significance of who did not receive pardons, singling out Hutchinson for further scrutiny.

The original January 6 committee had subpoenaed several Republican lawmakers, including Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who refused to cooperate. Loudermilk himself was asked to testify about a Capitol tour he gave on January 5, 2021, but he rejected the request, calling it part of an effort to push a “false narrative.”

Rep. Jim Jordan, who now chairs the House Judiciary Committee, voiced his support for the new investigation. “Rep. Loudermilk has been at the forefront of uncovering what the Democrat-led January 6 committee overlooked, and we look forward to supporting his efforts to reveal the full facts to the American people,” Jordan stated.

Through this renewed investigation, Republicans aim to ensure that all the facts surrounding January 6 are brought to light, whether concerning the riot itself or the political manipulation of the committee that investigated it. With a focus on truth and transparency, Republicans are committed to holding all parties accountable and uncovering the real story behind the events of that day.