Meet the members of the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection
The US House of Representatives voted last month to create a new select committee to investigate the deadly Capitol Hill insurrection on January 6.
The creation of a new committee in the House followed failed efforts to pass legislation to create an independent 9/11-style commission to investigate the riot. In the months since the storming of the Capitol, supporters of former President Donald Trump have sought to downplay and whitewash the events of January 6, which left several dead, dozens of officers wounded and halted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.
Earlier this month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed eight members — seven Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming — to serve on the panel.
As part of the legislation creating the committee, Republicans were supposed to get five slots on the committee, though Pelosi had the ability to reject the GOP choices. That’s exactly what she did when on July 21 she announced she would veto two of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s choices. Following Pelosi’s announcement, McCarthy withdrew all five of his selections, meaning Cheney is on track to be the sole GOP lawmaker on the panel — though Pelosi said on July 22 that she was considering also including GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.
The committee’s first hearing is scheduled for July 27 and will feature testimony of law enforcement officers who responded to the insurrection.
Here are the lawmakers who will be asking questions at that hearing:
Bennie Thompson, chairman
Democrat – Mississippi’s 2nd District
Serving in the House for a fifteenth term, since 1993
Other committees: Homeland Security
Thompson is also chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and worked with the panel’s top Republican, Rep. John Katko of New York, to reach a compromise behind the legislation that would have created an independent commission to investigate the January 6 riot. That legislation passed the House but was killed in the Senate. Thompson has built much of his congressional career on the Homeland Security panel, defined by the fallout from devastating events like Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Thompson is also chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and worked with the panel’s top Republican, Rep. John Katko of New York, to reach a compromise behind the legislation that would have created an independent commission to investigate the January 6 riot. That legislation passed the House but was killed in the Senate. Thompson has built much of his congressional career on the Homeland Security panel, defined by the fallout from devastating events like Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Pete Aguilar
Democrat – California’s 31st District
Serving in the House for a fourth term, since 2015
Other committees: Appropriations; House Administration
Aguilar was first elected to Congress in 2014, after serving as mayor of Redlands, California. He told CNN earlier this month members of the committee are united in following the truth and not letting politics dictate how it pursues its investigation. “I don’t get the sense that my colleagues worry this is going to be a circus,” Aguilar said.
Aguilar was first elected to Congress in 2014, after serving as mayor of Redlands, California. He told CNN earlier this month members of the committee are united in following the truth and not letting politics dictate how it pursues its investigation. “I don’t get the sense that my colleagues worry this is going to be a circus,” Aguilar said.
Liz Cheney
Republican – Wyoming’s At-Large District
Serving in the House for a third term, since 2017
Other committees: Armed Services
Cheney was formerly the No. 3 member of House Republican leadership before a very public break with Trump following his role in inciting the January 6 riot. Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump earlier this year and has been an outspoken critic of both the former President and GOP lawmakers who support his “Big Lie” about the 2020 election. She was ousted from her leadership position in May.
Cheney was formerly the No. 3 member of House Republican leadership before a very public break with Trump following his role in inciting the January 6 riot. Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump earlier this year and has been an outspoken critic of both the former President and GOP lawmakers who support his “Big Lie” about the 2020 election. She was ousted from her leadership position in May.
Zoe Lofgren
Democrat – California’s 19th District
Serving in the House for a fourteenth term, since 1995
Other committees: House Administration; Judiciary; Science, Space and Technology
Lofgren has the unique distinction of having connections to all four presidential impeachment investigations of the modern era, serving as a staffer to Rep. Don Edwards, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, in 1974 during Richard Nixon’s impeachment, before being elected to the same seat two decades later. Lofgren was an impeachment manager for Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2020 – though not his second in 2021 – and has been a longtime member of the influential Judiciary Committee, including during Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
Lofgren has the unique distinction of having connections to all four presidential impeachment investigations of the modern era, serving as a staffer to Rep. Don Edwards, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, in 1974 during Richard Nixon’s impeachment, before being elected to the same seat two decades later. Lofgren was an impeachment manager for Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2020 – though not his second in 2021 – and has been a longtime member of the influential Judiciary Committee, including during Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
Elaine Luria
Democrat – Virginia’s 2nd District
Serving in the House for a second term, since 2019
Other committees: Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs; Homeland Security
Luria served two decades in the Navy before winning a competitive election for her seat in 2018, flipping the district to Democratic control. “The goal was never to make this partisan,” she told CNN earlier this month after being named to the select committee. “We’re looking at this like the 9/11 commission. … This is about protecting our democracy.”
Luria served two decades in the Navy before winning a competitive election for her seat in 2018, flipping the district to Democratic control. “The goal was never to make this partisan,” she told CNN earlier this month after being named to the select committee. “We’re looking at this like the 9/11 commission. … This is about protecting our democracy.”
Stephanie Murphy
Democrat – Florida’s 7th District
Serving in the House for a third term, since 2017
Other committees: Ways and Means; Armed Services
Murphy is seen as a moderate and a rising star in Florida Democratic politics, who earlier this year announced she would not run for a competitive US Senate seat in her state. Before coming to Congress, she served as a national security specialist in the office of the Secretary of Defense.
Murphy is seen as a moderate and a rising star in Florida Democratic politics, who earlier this year announced she would not run for a competitive US Senate seat in her state. Before coming to Congress, she served as a national security specialist in the office of the Secretary of Defense.
Jamie Raskin
Democrat – Maryland’s 8th District
Serving in the House for a third term, since 2017
Other committees: Judiciary; Oversight and Reform; House Administration; Rules
A constitutional law professor at American University, Raskin was a central figure in Trump’s second impeachment trial earlier this year where he was Democrats’ lead impeachment manager. His emotional testimony during the trial was a defining characteristic of Democrats’ case against Trump, and he repeatedly cited his and his family’s experience on January 6, when his daughter was forced into hiding in the Capitol, to underscore the seriousness of the insurrection.
A constitutional law professor at American University, Raskin was a central figure in Trump’s second impeachment trial earlier this year where he was Democrats’ lead impeachment manager. His emotional testimony during the trial was a defining characteristic of Democrats’ case against Trump, and he repeatedly cited his and his family’s experience on January 6, when his daughter was forced into hiding in the Capitol, to underscore the seriousness of the insurrection.
Adam Schiff
Democrat – California’s 28th District
Serving in the House for an eleventh term, since 2001
Other committees: Intelligence
The chairman of the influential House Intelligence Committee, Schiff was the lead impeachment manager for Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2020. As Intel chairman he also oversaw multiple high-profile hearings during the impeachment proceedings featuring damning testimony over the former President’s attempt to find dirt on then presidential candidate Joe Biden.
The chairman of the influential House Intelligence Committee, Schiff was the lead impeachment manager for Trump’s first impeachment trial in 2020. As Intel chairman he also oversaw multiple high-profile hearings during the impeachment proceedings featuring damning testimony over the former President’s attempt to find dirt on then presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Photo credit: Getty Images, AP
CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Lauren Fox, Alex Rogers and Heather Fulbright contributed to this report.
Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_topstories/~3/0nBKd34Fd8c/
