The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 unrest at the Capitol has largely gone unchallenged in recent months, since the allegations levied against former President Donald Trump and other prominent conservatives weren't subject to cross-examination.
Beginning in January, though, the House Republicans could be going on offense.
On Wednesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told the House select committee to preserve its findings from the Capitol rally — including information that didn't make it into the panel's final report.
In a letter to Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the Jan. 6 committee chair, McCarthy wrote, "I remind you and your staff on the committee to preserve all records collected and transcripts of testimony taken during your investigation."
The letter from McCarthy — who's on track to becoming House speaker when the Republican-controlled Congress convenes on Jan. 3 — also might have been a warning to the panel, which comprises seven Democrats and two lame-duck Republicans (Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois), who often sparred with Trump in public.
"Some reports suggest that entire swaths of findings will be left out of the committee's final report," wrote McCarthy. "The official Congressional Records do not belong to you or any member, but to the American people, and they are owed all of the information you gathered — not merely the information that comports with your political agenda."
Prior to the midterm elections taking place, House Republicans were vocal in predicting change with the Jan. 6 investigative process, promising full transparency once the GOP seized the congressional majority.
In that vein, McCarthy's letter to the Jan. 6 panel seemingly backs up the pledges made in September, October and November.
Also, in July, House Republicans reportedly penned a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, demanding the release of surveillance footage from Jan. 6 — including from police body cameras.
Reports estimate that more than 14,000 hours of Jan. 6 surveillance footage have yet to go public.
"Many Americans question why their government, and the department in particular, has been so selective in its release of footage," the House Republicans' letter read. "We believe all Americans, including members of Congress, the media and the public at-large, should be able to view footage from January 6th that the department has in its possession."
As Axios reported in February, the House Republicans conducted their own investigation into the Jan. 6 incident and determined the Capitol security apparatus for that day led to "negligence at the highest levels," according to Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind.
Banks reportedly told Axios the GOP investigators had "absolutely" uncovered new information.
McCarthy reaffirmed Banks' stance by saying that Capitol security failures would be addressed in January, according to Axios.
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