Updated Jul 25, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Pelosi appoints GOP Rep. Kinzinger to Jan. 6 committee

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Sunday that she has appointed Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) to serve on the House select committee investigating the Jan 6. Capitol riot.

Why it matters: Pelosi's announcement comes after she rejected two of the five Republican appointments offered by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

  • Pelosi's refusal led to McCarthy revoking all of his appointments, later making threats that he would form his own committee.
  • Rep. Liz Cheney (R.-Wyo.) was the lone Republican appointed by Pelosi.
  • Kinzinger has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump and voted for his second impeachment following the Jan. 6 attack.

The big picture: Asked on ABC's "This Week" whether she would be appointing more Republicans to the committee, she said, "that would be my plan."

  • "[Kinzinger] and other Republicans have expressed an interest to serve on the select committee and I wanted to appoint three of the members Leader McCarthy suggested but he withdrew their names."

What they're saying: "Speaker Pelosi’s rejection of the Republican nominees to serve on the committee and self-appointment of members who share her pre-conceived narrative will not yield a serious investigation," McCarthy said in a statement on Sunday.

  • "We have had an unprecedented action, an assault, an insurrection, against our government. An assault on the capitol building, which is an assault on Congress," Pelosi said.
  • “Maybe the Republicans can’t handle the truth, but we have a responsibility to seek it," she added.

What to watch: The committee's first hearing is scheduled for July 27.

Editor's note: This story has been updated.

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