Jordan Demands Probe Into Pelosi, Wants To Know Her Role At Capitol

Ohio Republican Representative Jim Jordan has urged an inquiry into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and members of the former Democrat-led January 6 Commission, which was responsible for investigating the events at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

During a brief conversation with CNN reporter Manu Raju, Jordan quickly dismissed the previous investigation as a politically motivated "witch hunt" designed to target former President Donald Trump. He also asserted that the Commission should turn its attention to Pelosi and her awareness of the events on January 6, according to CNN.

When Raju inquired, “Mr. Jordan, what do you hope to accomplish on the Republican side of this investigation?” Jordan responded emphatically:

“You know what this is about. This is about going after President Trump, you know. I mean, the Democrats, they don’t want to talk about anything else so they got to talk about this. They don’t want to talk about the crime that’s going on in every major urban area. They don’t want to talk about the crisis at the border. They don’t want to talk about the price — the fact that the price of everything has gone up, the price of eggs has went up, the price of milk has went up, the price of lumber has went up, the price of airline tickets is up, the price of used cars — everything has gone up. They don’t want to talk about all that so they’ve got to talk about how we’re going to go after President Trump for a third time.”

Despite Jordan’s push, Republicans are facing internal struggles regarding the direction of their inquiry.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, along with the Republican leading the investigation, has yet to settle on a concrete path forward in examining the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Three sources familiar with internal discussions indicated that Johnson favors narrowing the focus of the previous January 6 committee’s work and halting further investigation, including any probe into former GOP Representative Liz Cheney.

Conversely, GOP Representative Barry Loudermilk, who has been appointed to spearhead the investigation, prefers a broader scope. CNN previously reported that Trump made it clear to Johnson before his inauguration that prioritizing this investigation was crucial.

Sources reveal that Loudermilk’s select subcommittee, which Johnson announced in January, has not yet started its work due to ongoing internal disagreements delaying the process.

“I told former Speaker Kevin McCarthy that I would accept the challenge under two conditions: I would have the autonomy and resources necessary to effectively pursue the facts without political bias or outside influence, and I would have the authority to report whatever we find to the American people,” Loudermilk said in a statement to CNN on Thursday. “McCarthy asked me to lead House Republicans’ investigation into the Capitol’s security failures on January 6, 2021, and Pelosi’s Select Committee. This, in my opinion, is still necessary in order to effectively seek the truth.”

Loudermilk has been focused on analyzing the prior January 6 committee and its findings from the last congressional term. The House GOP report concluded with a recommendation that the FBI examine Cheney’s involvement in the initial investigation into the Capitol attack.

Furthermore, sources suggest that narrowing the investigation’s focus would mean avoiding scrutiny of security preparedness before the attack and any recommendations for future security at the U.S. Capitol.

Last month, Loudermilk stated that Speaker Johnson assured him the probe into the January 6, 2021, attack would be “formalized as a new committee.”

This move aligns with a broader Republican strategy to continue investigations initiated during the previous congressional session, now that they control both chambers of Congress and the White House.

Loudermilk indicated that specific details of the new committee are still being finalized. One possible arrangement could grant Johnson greater control over selecting panel members and structuring its operations.

The creation of a new committee emphasizing Loudermilk’s work—such as the report suggesting former GOP Representative Liz Cheney should be investigated by the FBI—ensures that Republican efforts to deflect blame from Trump regarding January 6 remain at the forefront.

“It was so singularly focused that basically Trump created this entire problem,” Loudermilk said of the former January 6 select committee, which was co-led by Adam Schiff and Liz Cheney. “When in reality, it was a multitude of failures at different levels.”

Johnson has publicly committed to ensuring that this new investigative effort is “fully funded.”

Former Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney and Dr. Anthony Fauci were included in a limited list of pardon recipients, a move Biden’s aides say was meant to counter potential retribution from Trump or his future administration.

However, legal experts have pointed out that the pardons would not shield either individual from being compelled to testify under oath if subpoenaed.