Kevin McCarthy Warns Jan. 6 Panel That Republicans Will Launch Inquiry on House Select Committee's Probe

By Mary Webber Nov 30 2022, 22:11 PM EST

Rep. Kevin McCarthy issued a warning to the Jan. 6 panel through a letter, saying that Republicans are planning to introduce an inquiry of their own into the House select committee's probe on the Capitol riot.

The Republican leader said that it would be imposed as soon as the Republicans went back to Congress.

McCarthy is eyeing the House speaker position as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to step down.

The California Republican representative sent a letter to the committee's chairman, Bennie Thompson, instructing him to preserve the records of the Jan. 6 panel, including recorded transcripts of its more than 1,000 interviews.

McCarthy's letter comes after hard-right Republicans refused to support his bid for speaker.

The Republican representative said the House select committee's public hearings did not center on the Capitol complex's security. As a result, Republicans will hold hearings to look at the complex's security, according to McCarthy.

No comment has been issued regarding McCarthy's letter to Thompson.

Meanwhile, the House select committee will be dissolved at the end of the current Congress. It is currently finishing up its last batch of witness interviews. The panel is completing an extensive report, which is seen to be released in December.

House Select Committee Jan. 6 Probe

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in a brief news conference that the Justice Department is eyeing access to all transcripts and other evidence collected by the House Select Committee on their Jan. 6 investigation. The attorney general said that DOJ would use the materials on their own probes.

Garland said the department "will work tirelessly" to hold accountable those responsible for crimes related to the attack.

Thompson noted that they will share whatever they have with any agency that makes a request to have access to their report and materials.

Meanwhile, Garland mentioned that he met with Special Counsel Jack Smith as part of the process of deciding on Smith for the role.

Smith had also met with members of his team to be briefed about the case, according to Garland.

Republican Majority in The House

Republican leaders, including McCarthy, have not expressed any intention to keep the Jan. 6 panel once they retake the House.

McCarthy once described the panel as "the most political" and "the least legitimate" in the history of House committee in U.S. history, as reported by The Hill.

He said in a June speech that the Jan. 6 panel had violated due process and infringed on the political speech of private citizens.

Rep. Liz Cheney also slammed Republicans for opposing an independent commission that could have followed an investigation without the schedule barrier of Congress.

In September, McCarthy warned companies that cooperate with the Jan. 6 panel's probe that "they are in violation of federal law" and that they would lose their operation status in the United States.