Pelosi unveils Democratic-controlled Jan. 6 committee and teases appointing a Republican

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed a bill on Monday to create a Democratic-controlled select House committee to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot after Republicans blocked a proposal that would have given them more control over a bipartisan, bicameral commission look into the attack.

And in a twist, Pelosi is “seriously considering” appointing a Republican to the body, which would give the committee closer to even-partisan representation while still allowing Democrats more power than they would have had in the failed Jan. 6 commission.

“Sadly, as of last week, there remains no prospect for additional votes from Republican Senators to create the National Commission to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol Complex,” Pelosi said in a statement on Monday. “January 6th was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. It is imperative that we establish the truth of that day and ensure such an attack cannot again happen. The Select Committee will investigate and report upon the facts and causes of the attack and report recommendations for preventing any future assault.”

Text of the bill proposal allows Pelosi to appoint 13 members, with five of those being appointed after “consultation” with Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

Members of the committee will be tasked with reporting on the “facts, circumstances, and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex,” including “facts and causes relating to the preparedness and response of the United States Capitol Police and other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in the National Capital Region and other instrumentalities of government, as well as the influencing factors that fomented such an attack on American representative democracy while engaged in a constitutional process.”

The bill would also authorize the committee chair to issue subpoenas and order dispositions without input from the Republican minority.