Select Committee to Investigate Capitol Hill Riot
WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she is appointing a new select committee to investigate “the many questions” that still surround events leading up to the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol and the federal response that day.
In May, Senate Republicans filibustered legislation establishing an independent, Sept. 11-style commission, and Democrats have since been divided on how to move forward, concerned that a probe advanced only by Democrats would only harden the partisan divide in Congress.
Pelosi announced her decision to move ahead with the panel at her weekly meeting with reporters.
She said the committee will “investigate and report on the facts and the causes of the attack, and it will report recommendations for the prevention of any future attack.”
Pelosi declined to say who would lead the inquiry, saying only “I will make those announcements later.”
It is believed that with the creation of a select committee, several ongoing House investigations will now be consolidated under its banner to streamline the process.
The Senate Homeland Security and Rules committees released a report earlier this month on the security and intelligence failures surrounding the attack, but Democrats say a broader investigation into the causes and role of former President Donald Trump in fomenting the riot is still needed.
