Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who has been dubbed one of two “Pelosi Republicans” by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, is slated to get a prime speaking slot on the Jan. 6 committee the House Speaker established to investigate the Capitol breach.
Cheney has been chosen by Nancy Pelosi to give an opening statement at the first hearing on Tuesday, “underscoring how Democrats want to present the proceedings as bipartisan despite the boycott by House GOP leaders,” The Hill reported Monday.
The Wyoming Republican’s opening statement is set to follow that of the panel’s chair, Rep. Bennie Thomspon, D-Miss., sources familiar with the line-up told the outlet.
“The select committee’s first hearing on Tuesday will feature testimony from four police officers who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6: Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonell of the Capitol Police, as well as Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges of the Capitol Police,” The Hill noted.
In addition to Cheney, Pelosi is expected to add Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., to the panel as well. Both he and Cheney are well-known critics of former President Donald Trump and both voted to impeach him in January following the rowdy protest that left one unarmed female demonstrator, Ashli Babbitt, died after she was shot by a Capitol Police officer.
Regarding Republican participation, two of five GOP panel members nominated by McCarthy, Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Jim Banks of Indiana, were rejected by Pelosi in an unprecedented manner, as Republican leaders traditionally select which of their members will serve on such committees.
After Pelosi rejected those two, McCarthy pulled all five Republican nominees, declaring that she is only interested in a committee that will reach a predetermined outcome — that Trump was responsible for the Jan. 6 riot.
“I’m a Republican dedicated to conservative values, but I swore an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution — and while this is not the position I expected to be in or sought out, when duty calls, I will always answer,” Kinzinger said in a statement on Sunday.
“It’s more clear than ever that Nancy Pelosi is not interested in an investigation. She’s only interested in a narrative. She claims the reason that she booted me from the committee was because of antics on the part of Jim Jordan and I,” Banks told “Fox News Sunday.”
“In hindsight, what I realize what she means by that now is that we were prepared to ask questions that no one else has asked and demand answers as to why the Capital was vulnerable to an attack on January 6th?” he asked.
“Why was there a systemic breakdown of security at the Capitol on January 6th? If you’re going to investigate January 6th, why not ask those questions?” he continued.
“That’s all that this comes down to. She has already predetermined a narrative about Donald Trump, about Republicans,” Banks accused.
On Monday after dubbing Cheney and Kinzinger GOP allies of Pelosi, McCarthy was asked if he was planning to punish either or both of them for participating on the committee.
“We’ll see,” he responded.
Last week after pulling GOP nominees, McCarthy said Republicans would conduct their own investigation into the origins of Jan. 6.
Syndicated with permission from USA Features News.
