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House Republicans have launched their own version of the Jan. 6 committee that would “reinvestigate” what transpired in the US Capitol in 2021. The committee’s chairman, Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia’s Republican Party, stated that they will “investigate both sides” and “show what really happened on Jan. 6.”
The Democrat-led committee last year subpoenaed a number of Republicans. Republicans are now discussing putting further pressure on Nancy Pelosi, the person in charge of choosing the panel.
Republicans previously addressed Pelosi in a letter inquiring as to why she did not take further security measures for the Capitol on January 6, 2021, including calling for National Guard deployments and a larger presence of Capitol Police.
“I’m gonna tell you the truth: Yes, I do,” said Georgia GOP Rep. Buddy Carter when asked if he believes Republicans should issue a subpoena to Pelosi.
“This is setting the precedent, and we’re just not gonna lie down and let this happen. There are serious questions about her role on January 6 and exactly what she did and what she didn’t do. And we need to get to the bottom of that,” he added.
Several other Republicans previously said there is broad support for issuing a subpoena to Pelosi.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a subpoena there,” said Florida Republican Rep. Brian Mast.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, who called for an investigation into Pelosi over her role, went off earlier this year when discussing the committee approving a criminal contempt report to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress.
“There have been subpoenas issued to 11 individuals, 11 American citizens who asked the government permission on an application to hold the Trump rally,” Jordan said.
“The government granted it and now the January 6 committee petitions them to ask them questions about exercising their First Amendment right to assemble,” he added.
Loudermilk also declared that the panel would consider seeking an interview with Pelosi, including any decisions made about Capitol security ahead of Jan. 6.
“If we need to, we would like for her to come and talk to us about it,” Loudermilk said, adding the panel might seek to interview former members of the House Jan. 6 committee, NBC News reported.
Republicans also asserted that U.S. Capitol Police have failed to make necessary changes following Jan. 6 despite having a budget they say rivals many big-city departments.
“One of the reasons it’s important that we look back is so we can identify where the failures were and move forward. Our concern is there has been a lack of looking back by the previous leadership of Capitol Police,” said Loudermilk.
Loudermilk has also requested records from the Metropolitan Police Department and the National Archives related to Jan. 6.
“In letters to MPD Chief Robert J. Contee III and U.S. archivist Colleen Shogan, first reported by Politico, Loudermilk requested documents about the attack on the Capitol and the former Democratic-controlled House Jan. 6 committee that investigated the riot before it was dissolved in January,” NBC reported.
“The requests, Loudermilk said, are part of the GOP-led subcommittee’s effort to evaluate and prevent future security failures and fit into a review of how the former House Jan. 6 committee conducted its investigation. He is also seeking a series of video and audio recordings, including recordings of radio communications, MPD electronic surveillance unit video recordings, and body-camera footage from officers who were at the Ellipse or stationed at or near Capitol Grounds on Jan. 6,” the outlet added.
Earlier this month, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene urged her colleagues to speak up in defense of the Jan. 6 defendants.
“I tell them all the time. I think it’s an issue you can’t ignore,” Greene said, referring to the treatment of Jan. 6 defendants. “It’s something that has to be talked about because people are being affected every single day by it. And we heard the testimonies today.”
“So it’s … an issue that, of course, has been talked about every single day since Jan. 6. But we can’t allow a weaponized government to persecute Americans,” she continued. “We just can’t allow it. So it’s something that we have to talk about.”
