First, a crucial distinction: Investigations are meant to acquire information, hearings are meant to present it.
Members recognize this dynamic themselves: In 2019, Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, referred to the House Oversight Committee on which he served as thethat “you could make a grandma feel bad about making cookies for her grandkids if she’s sitting in front of you.”
The Jan. 6th committee appears to have opted for a just-the-facts-ma’am approach to the public hearings., deliberately making the witnesses’ information the focus rather than the personalities and rhetoric of the committee members. In May 2021, the Senate killed legislation to establish an independent commission to investigate the attacks thatSelect committees areand exist for a finite time period. Both Democrats and Republicans ordinarily serve on select committees, each appointed by their respective party leaders.
Two Republicans, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney and Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, agreed to serve as Pelosi appointees on the nine-member committee. Pelosi’s decision. But the Democratic speaker’s appointment of these two Republicans also made it possible for all members of the committee to work together collaboratively. Pelosi chose actual bipartisanship against the mere appearance of it.
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