Nancy Pelosi Rejects Two GOP Members Selected for 1/6 Committee

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“Out of respect for the integrity of the investigation, insistence on the truth, and concern about the statements and actions of these members, I must reject the recommendations of the representatives of banks and Jordan to the select committee,” Pelosi said. “The unprecedented nature of January 6 demands this unprecedented decision.”

The decision to reject McCarthy’s picks — which Pelosi was allowed to do under the rules that created the committee — is sure to provoke angry objections from McCarthy and Republicans, who have accused Democrats of using the select committee as a political effort to harm. Former President Donald Trump.

Pelosi said she approved the nominations of Representatives Rodney Davis of Illinois, Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota and Troy Niles of Texas. Banks, Jordan and Niles all objected to the ratification of the 2020 presidential election.

Jordan has been a loyal Trump ally and attack dog in Congress, who was added to the House Intelligence Committee in 2019 ahead of the committee’s public hearings. Banks is the chair of the conservative republican study committee.

Since his appointment, Jordan has been expressing concerns that the committee will focus too much on Trump and even telegraph Pelosi during the investigation.

“There’s one fundamental question that I hope Democrats will answer and touch on, and why wasn’t there a proper security presence that day? And frankly, only the speaker can answer that question, so let’s see if the Democrats come up with that,” Jordan said Tuesday.

Earlier this week, Pelosi told CNN that whether someone voted to ratify the election would not determine whether she would approve it on the committee.

“Let me be clear, how people voted to confirm Joe Biden’s election is not a service criterion. It doesn’t matter,” Pelosi said. But she did not explain in detail what weighs her in the decision-making process.

In her announcement of Banks and Jordan’s disapproval, Pelosi stated that there were “objections” to their choices, but did not specify what those objections were.

Depending on how the committee is set up, Pelosi can appoint eight members to the committee and McCarthy has five jobs “in consultation” with Pelosi—meaning the speaker has the option to veto his choices.

This story was updated with additional developments on Wednesday.

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