WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after Speaker Pelosi announced that a House select committee will be created to investigate the January 6th Capitol insurrection:
"The horrifying events of January 6 shook our nation and demand a full investigation on behalf of the American people. While I had preferred the establishment of a bipartisan commission through statute, disturbingly Republicans blocked that from happening because the former president to whom they are beholden does not want the truth to emerge. As a result, the House has no other choice but to create a select committee to conduct a full and thorough investigation and report its findings and recommendations. I hope Republicans will participate fully and in good faith and that the select committee’s Members will work together to provide a definitive accounting of that day and what led up to it, and make recommendations on necessary actions to prevent a future attack.
"Our democracy was attacked on January 6. It was an assault on the liberty of every single American, in which the dark forces of demagoguery and autocracy were unleashed in an effort to deny Americans' right to choose their own leaders through free and fair elections. We the people of this country owe it to ourselves, to our forebears, and to our descendants to understand what brought about that attack and take steps so that nothing like the January 6 insurrection is ever repeated. I still hope that there is a potential for Democrats and Republicans to come together and create a bipartisan commission, notwithstanding this new select committee."
"The horrifying events of January 6 shook our nation and demand a full investigation on behalf of the American people. While I had preferred the establishment of a bipartisan commission through statute, disturbingly Republicans blocked that from happening because the former president to whom they are beholden does not want the truth to emerge. As a result, the House has no other choice but to create a select committee to conduct a full and thorough investigation and report its findings and recommendations. I hope Republicans will participate fully and in good faith and that the select committee’s Members will work together to provide a definitive accounting of that day and what led up to it, and make recommendations on necessary actions to prevent a future attack.
"Our democracy was attacked on January 6. It was an assault on the liberty of every single American, in which the dark forces of demagoguery and autocracy were unleashed in an effort to deny Americans' right to choose their own leaders through free and fair elections. We the people of this country owe it to ourselves, to our forebears, and to our descendants to understand what brought about that attack and take steps so that nothing like the January 6 insurrection is ever repeated. I still hope that there is a potential for Democrats and Republicans to come together and create a bipartisan commission, notwithstanding this new select committee."
