The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, Mike Johnson, announced on Wednesday, January 22nd, the formation of a new special committee to investigate the Capitol riot that occurred on January 6, 2021. This committee may also delve into the activities of the now-dissolved former January 6th special committee.
Johnson stated that the newly established committee will be chaired by Republican Congressman Barry Loudermilk from Georgia, and it will be under the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary Committee.
As this committee is a special subcommittee, Johnson will have the sole official authority to determine which members can participate in the committee.
In a statement, Johnson expressed, “House Republicans take pride in the work we have done so far to uncover false statements, but there is still more work to be done, as the politically motivated false statements made by the 117th Congress’s January 6th special committee have been troubling.”
“We are setting up this special subcommittee to continue our efforts to ensure that the American people receive the full truth,” Johnson continued.
During the 118th Congress, Loudermilk served as the chairman of the House Oversight Committee and led the committee’s investigation into the Capitol attack. In the committee’s final report released last December, Loudermilk recommended that the Federal Bureau of Investigation conduct a criminal investigation into the vice chair of the 117th Congress’s January 6th special committee, former Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney. He alleged that Cheney maintained contact with former White House aide and witness Cassidy Hutchinson, and tampered with witness testimonies.
Cheney denied the accusations against her and in a statement at that time, countered by calling the allegations “fabricated lies and defamatory accusations.”
Concerned about potential prosecution of Cheney, former President Biden, in the final hours of his presidency, announced a pardon for the members of the 117th Congress’s January 6th special committee and their staff.