McCarthy Threatens to Strip GOP Members of Committee Assignments If They Accept Offer to Serve on 1/6 Commission

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Last updated on July 3rd, 2021 at 03:57 pm

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has threatened to strip Republicans of their committee assignments if they accept an offer from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to serve on the commission, recently approved by a House vote, to investigate the insurrection of January 6.

The House voted largely on party lines to create the commission, with only two representatives, Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) voting in favor of its formation.

“Our nation, and the families of the brave law enforcement officers who were injured defending us or died following the attack, deserve answers,” Cheney said Wednesday. “I believe this select committee is our only remaining option.”

Said Kinzinger: “It’s not necessarily anything I look forward to doing, but if I thought my voice was needed to get to the bottom of it, it would be something I would be open to.”

The committee will have eight members appointed by Pelosi and five appointed by McCarthy following a “consultation.”

Earlier this week, Pelosi confirmed that she has the authority to veto any of McCarthy’s picks, though she stopped short of confirming whether she will allow any Republican who voted not to certify President Joe Biden‘s Electoral College win on the panel.

Last month, Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would have created a bipartisan committee to investigate the attack and taken the probe outside the halls of Congress.

The Senate voted 54-35 to advance the measure, but it fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster, which would have blocked debate on the bill. The House had earlier approved the commission; 35 Republicans voted for it.