House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is reportedly eyeing a select committee to investigate the Capitol riot that occurred on January 6. Multiple outlets reported that Pelosi had told the Steering and Policy Committee that she intends to form a select committee to serve as a “pursuit of truth.”
The speaker quickly walked back the report:
"No, I did not make that announcement," Pelosi said of the potential for a select committee. "Somebody put out a false report."
But even after her denial, a source who heard the speaker said she had indicated she had given the Senate a few weeks to act and that the existing House committees are too big and unwieldy. Select committee will be named, the source said
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 22, 2021
PELOSI says she did NOT make an announcement on a select committee on January 6. Tells reporters "Somebody put out a false report."
— Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) June 22, 2021
Colleague Jason Donner rpts Pelosi’s office says she will announce this week whether she will create a select committee to probe the January 6 riot
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) June 23, 2021
A spokesperson in the speaker's office clarified that Pelosi's preference still remains a bipartisan commission.
"Speaker Pelosi told Members she plans to announce WHETHER she will create a select committee THIS WEEK," Pelosi's deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill tweeted. "Her preference continues to be a bipartisan commission which Senate Republicans are blocking."
House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) added on Wednesday that he believes a select committee will be formed.
Jim Clyburn says of Jan. 6 probe: “I think we are going to go with a select committee.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 23, 2021
Asked about who might chair the committee, Clyburn didn’t know but told me of House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson: “I would love to see him do that.”
The House passed legislation to form a commission to investigate the January 6 attack, but Senate Republicans swiftly killed the bill.