House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) has announced that she will create a select committee to investigate the January 6 riots and attack on the U.S. Capitol.
A select committee differs from an independent committee because it will Democrat-controlled, although it still has bipartisan membership. Democrats will have more members and therefore will be able to control subpoena power.
This announcement comes after last month’s decisions by Republican senators to blocked an independent “9/11-style” committee to investigate the riots. On Wednesday, the first rioter to go to trial was sentenced to three years probation and fined $500, in relation to her actions on January 6.
Pelosi said she had hoped the Republican-controlled Senate would change its mind, but she is moving forward with creating this committee.
“This morning, with great solemnity and sadness, I’m announcing that the House will be establishing a select committee on the January 6 insurrection,” Pelosi said. “The select committee will investigate and report on the facts and the causes of the attack and it will report recommendations for the prevention of any future attack.”
