Georgia Republican Representative Barry Loudermilk departed with assurances that his investigation into the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol will be officially established as a new committee. This was marked by a photo opportunity with House Speaker Mike Johnson, symbolizing the commencement of the upcoming Congress.
This initiative reflects the Republican Party’s ongoing effort to reshape the narrative surrounding January 6, which has become a consistent element of its investigative agenda. With the GOP now in control of both chambers of Congress and the presidency, this move is part of a broader strategy to pursue several GOP-led inquiries from the previous legislative session.
Loudermilk informed CNN that while the details of the new committee are still under consideration, one potential approach is to grant Johnson greater authority in selecting committee members and directing its activities.
The Republican efforts to absolve President-elect Donald Trump of accountability for the January 6 unrest remain evident, as illustrated by the establishment of a new committee to underscore Loudermilk’s contributions, which included a recommendation for the FBI to prosecute former GOP Representative Liz Cheney.
Loudermilk characterized the previous January 6 select committee, which Cheney co-led, as being “so singularly focused that basically Trump created this entire problem,” asserting that there were, in fact, multiple failures at various levels.
Nevertheless, Loudermilk recognized that including January 6 in the title of the new committee might convey an unintended message.
“It’s somewhat of a trigger for people, in one way. In another, it is even more restrictive because there are other security concerns besides January 6,” Loudermilk stated to CNN.
Johnson has publicly announced that the new investigation into January 6 will be “fully funded.”
Republicans plan to leverage their newly acquired majority in various ways, including the continuation of politically motivated investigations into the previous January 6 select committee, which featured Cheney as vice chair alongside another Republican member, as well as the overall security measures taken in response to the Capitol attack.
As reported by CNN, two individuals familiar with the matter indicated that Republicans reissued subpoenas on Monday targeting two Justice Department tax investigators involved in the Hunter Biden case and special counsel Robert Hur’s inquiry into President Joe Biden’s management of classified documents. These subpoenas aim to revive efforts from the previous Congress that have faced prolonged legal challenges without resolution.
The Justice Department under Trump is expected to be significantly more cooperative with congressional Republicans seeking documents and information, and it will be the recipient of the renewed subpoenas. One subpoena pertains to audio recordings of discussions between President Biden and his ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer concerning classified material for a memoir written after his vice presidency. This matter is being pursued in court by the right-leaning Heritage Foundation and media outlets such as CNN, who are requesting the release of these recordings and others obtained by Hur. The DOJ has consistently argued in court that such audio recordings should not be made public.
The subpoenas directed at the DOJ tax investigators, Jack Morgan and Mark Daly, are extensions of earlier subpoenas issued by the House Judiciary Committee. The House has taken legal action against the DOJ for preventing these individuals from providing depositions related to the Hunter Biden investigation, resulting in a lack of testimony. The case is currently under consideration by Judge Ana Reyes of the DC District Court, which is presently on hold.
Morgan’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday, while Daly’s attorney declined to provide any remarks.
Even prior to the commencement of their new majority, House Republicans suggested that they might investigate special counsel matters.
