Nancy Pelosi is creating a panel to ‘seek the truth’ on US Capitol attack
- ‘January 6 was a day of darkness for our country,’ Pelosi said, and the ‘terror and trauma’ to staff who were there is something she cannot forgive
- Pelosi’s official announcement means Democrats will lead what probably will be the most comprehensive look at the siege
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it official on Thursday that she is creating a special committee to investigate the attack on the Capitol, saying it is “imperative that we seek the truth”.
The House passed the bill to form a commission last month, and Pelosi said it was her preference to have an independent panel lead the inquiry. But she said Congress could not wait any longer to begin a deeper look at the insurrection.
“January 6 was a day of darkness for our country,” Pelosi said, and the “terror and trauma” to members and staff who were there is something she cannot forgive. She said there is no fixed timeline for the committee, which will investigate and report on the facts and causes of the attack and make recommendations to prevent it from happening again.
She did not say who will lead or serve on the committee.
Pelosi’s official announcement, two days after she signalled to colleagues that she would create the committee, means Democrats will lead what probably will be the most comprehensive look at the siege. More than three dozen Republicans in the House and seven Republicans in the Senate said they wanted to avoid a partisan investigation and supported the legislation to form a commission, which would have been modelled after a similar panel that investigated the September 11 terrorist attacks.