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McCarthy names 3 Biden victory deniers to Jan. 6 committee

By Melanie Zanona and Annie Grayer | CNN

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has made his selection of five Republicans to join the select committee investigating January 6, ensuring that Republicans will have input in the investigation run by Democrats.

Republican Reps. Jim Banks of Indiana, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Rodney Davis of Illinois, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota and freshman Troy Nehls of Texas have been selected by McCarthy, the minority leader confirmed to CNN.

Banks was selected to be the ranking Republican, though Jordan is perhaps the most well-known of the five, given his history of clashing with Democrats at high-profile hearings on Capitol Hill.

Of the Republicans McCarthy has put forth for the committee, Banks, Jordan and Nehls were among the 139 House Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential results in Arizona and Pennsylvania. Davis and Armstrong voted to certify the presidential election.

Banks and Jordan were also part of the group of Republicans to sign onto the Texas lawsuit that sought to invalidate the ballots of millions of voters in four battleground states, but was swiftly blocked by the Supreme Court.

Under the House’s resolution, Pelosi appoints eight members to the commission and McCarthy has five slots “in consultation” with Pelosi — meaning the House speaker could ultimately veto his selections.

The select committee, which will investigate the deadly January 6 insurrection on Capitol Hill, is slated to have its first hearing next week. Committee members will hear from Capitol Police officers Harry Dunn and Aquilino Gonell as well as Metropolitan Police Department officers Michael Fanone and Daniel Hodges about their experiences on January 6.

Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi serves as chair of the committee and is also the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

The five Republicans chosen by McCarthy are not the only GOP members of the committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming among her eight choices to serve on the panel.

Pelosi’s office told CNN on Monday evening they too had just learned of the names and that Pelosi is reviewing the picks.

This story has been updated with additional developments Monday.


Source: Orange County Register

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