House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was called out on Monday for the five Republican lawmakers he tapped to sit on the select committee that will investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol that was carried out by pro-Trump insurrectionists.
All five of the picks ― Reps. Jim Banks (Ind.) Jim Jordan (Ohio), Rodney Davis (Ill.), Kelly Armstrong (N.D.) and Troy Nehls (Texas) ― are, like McCarthy, allies of former President Donald Trump. Three of the five ― Banks, Jordan and Nehls ― voted against certifying the 2020 Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania.
None voted to impeach Trump for his role in inciting the violence.
Jordan could even be called as a witness due to his links to Trump. During the attack itself, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) reportedly yelled at Jordan: “You fucking did this.”
Cheney will also serve on the 13-member committee, having been previously selected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who will have final approval over McCarthy’s candidates.
Speaking on CNN, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) described McCarthy’s choices as “insulting” and “shameful.”
“Kevin McCarthy has decided his role as a minority leader in the House of Representatives is to essentially be chauffeur of the clown car,” she told Don Lemon:
McCarthy’s choices were also widely panned by critics online:
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