McCarthy Withdraws All GOP Members From House Jan. 6 Committee After Pelosi Rejects Jordan & Banks

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) said Wednesday that he has decided to pull all of his picks from the joint committee investigating the January 6 insurrection after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) rejected two Republicans that he chose.

“Unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five Republican nominees, Republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts,” McCarthy added.

McCarthy strongly criticized Pelosi’s decision, claiming that the Speaker “has taken the unprecedented step and broke this institution with her abuse power.

“Speaker Pelosi has taken the unprecedented step of denying the minority party’s picks for the select committee on January 6,” McCarthy said during a press conference. “This represents something that has not happened in the House before for a select committee.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Pelosi rejected two of the McCarthy’s picks — Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Jim Banks (R-Indiana) — to join the committee due to their concerns about the “integrity of the investigation.” Both Jordan and Banks are allies of former President Donald Trump and have said that they don’t believe in the purpose of the committee.

“I have spoken with [McCarthy] this morning about the objections raised about Representatives Jim Banks and Jim Jordan and the impact their appointments may have on the integrity of the investigation,” Pelosi said in a statement. “I also informed him that I was prepared to appoint Representatives Rodney Davis, Kelly Armstrong and Troy Nehls, and requested that he recommend two other Members.”

“With respect for the integrity of the investigation, with an insistence on the truth and with concern about statements made and actions taken by these Members, I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee,” Pelosi added.

Article by Dongyoon Shin