House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced on Wednesday that House Republicans will initiate their own investigation into the contentious January 6 select committee, whose members have faced various allegations of misconduct. In a controversial decision made on his final day in office, former President Biden granted pardons to all committee members, including former U.S. Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney.
Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) will lead a new select subcommittee that will operate under the House Judiciary Committee. Loudermilk has previously conducted a separate inquiry into the January 6 Capitol protests and the now-disbanded January 6 committee, which was under the jurisdiction of the House Administration Committee. He has consistently urged Speaker Johnson to initiate a formal investigation in the current congressional session.
As this new investigation is designated as a “select” committee, Speaker Johnson will possess the exclusive authority to determine which House members will be appointed to the panel. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) did not permit Republicans to select their own members for the previous January 6 Committee, a decision that deviated from long-standing House traditions.
Pelosi denied then House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) the opportunity to appoint Representatives Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Jim Banks (R-IN) to the committee, contending that both had supported Trump’s challenge to the 2020 election results and were therefore disqualified from serving. Consequently, McCarthy withdrew all Republican nominees from the panel.
Pelosi subsequently appointed former U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, two individuals who have since departed from the Republican Party and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 election.
House Republicans express pride in their efforts to reveal the misleading narratives propagated by the politically driven January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress; however, they acknowledge that further work remains. Johnson stated, “We are forming this Select Subcommittee to persist in our mission to uncover the complete truth that the American people deserve.”
In addition to straying from established House practices, the January 6 Committee has faced numerous allegations of misconduct. In 2023, Representative Loudermilk disclosed that the committee had destroyed various documents, text messages, and other records, despite directives from incoming House Speaker McCarthy to retain all materials related to the investigation.
Regarding accountability, Loudermilk remarked in an interview with Just The News last year, “Yes, they should be held accountable. However, I believe that will take some time, as there is still a significant amount of information we need to gather. Our goal is not only to reveal the truth to the American public but also to understand the extent of this case concerning obstruction.”
The January 6 committee, which engaged a Hollywood producer to enhance its primetime hearings, disseminated several pieces of misinformation to the public. For example, the committee presented testimony from former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson, who alleged that Trump attempted to seize the steering wheel of a Secret Service vehicle to return to the Capitol during the protests that escalated into a riot. This assertion has been thoroughly discredited by Secret Service agents.
Additionally, the committee selectively presented video footage and neglected to mention that police actions, such as deploying crowd control munitions, contributed to the riot. This footage, along with an additional 14,000 hours of recordings, was withheld from the public in favor of selectively chosen clips. Loudermilk has also confirmed that the committee, which interviewed hundreds of witnesses during its investigation, deleted all of the collected testimonies.
The Georgia lawmaker articulated that he inquired with Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), the chair of the January 6 committee, regarding the possibility of reviewing the tapes. Thompson responded by indicating that the tapes had not been preserved, asserting that the committee believed it was unnecessary to do so.
“He did not believe it was necessary; however, House rules stipulate that all data, information, and documents utilized in an official proceeding must be preserved, which they did. Portions of these tapes were indeed broadcast during their televised hearings, indicating that they were required to retain them, yet he opted not to,” the congressman remarked.
Loudermilk is convinced that the tapes still exist and emphasized that retrieving them is of utmost importance. “Even in the case of Cassidy Hutchinson, some have questioned the need for the videos, given that written transcripts are available. However, when an individual like Cassidy significantly alters her testimony, I wish to observe her body language during her initial testimony. I want to assess her vocal inflection as well,” he stated.
