New January 6 Committee Formation
Georgia Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk left a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson assured that his probe into the January 6 Capitol attack “will be formally established as a new committee.” This move signals the GOP’s intent to reshape the narrative around January 6 as Republicans take control of both Congress chambers and the White House. Loudermilk said, “the specifics of the new committee are still being worked out,” but Johnson may gain more control over member selection and the committee’s direction.
Republican Efforts to Shift Blame
The GOP’s efforts aim to protect former President Trump from responsibility for the Capitol violence. Loudermilk criticized the previous January 6 committee, calling it “so singularly focused that basically Trump created this entire problem.” He argued, “there were numerous failures at various levels.” Despite this, Loudermilk admitted that including January 6 in the committee’s name “is somewhat of a trigger for people,” and the new panel may cover other security issues beyond January 6.
Continued GOP Investigations and Funding
Johnson has promised the new January 6 investigation “will be fully funded.” Republicans also plan to continue politically charged inquiries, including investigations into the earlier January 6 committee’s work and Capitol security. Additionally, Republicans recently reissued subpoenas related to Justice Department tax investigators tied to the Hunter Biden case and special counsel Robert Hur’s probe into President Biden’s handling of classified documents.
Legal Battles and Congressional Probes
These subpoenas revive ongoing legal disputes over congressional access to documents and testimonies. One subpoena concerns Hur’s audio recordings of President Biden discussing classified material with his ghostwriter, which courts have so far kept private. The subpoenas to DOJ tax investigators Jack Morgan and Mark Daly extend prior efforts, with depositions currently blocked by lawsuits. Morgan’s and Daly’s lawyers declined to comment. House Republicans have also hinted at probing special counsels’ investigations into Hunter Biden and Trump but had limited success during active criminal cases.
