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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi scoffed at House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy floating the possibility of creating a GOP-only commission to investigate the Capitol riot.
On Wednesday, Pelosi rejected two of McCarthy's recommendations for the January 6 select committee: Reps. Jim Banks and Jim Jordan, both of whom voted against certifying the 2020 election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania, two states where President Joe Biden won.
"With respect for the integrity of the investigation, with an insistence on the truth and with concern about statements made and actions taken by these Members, I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee," Pelosi said in a statement. "The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision."
In response, McCarthy claimed Pelosi's rejections of his committee picks "represents an egregious abuse of power and will irreparably damage this institution," he said in a statement.
"Unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five Republican nominees, Republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts," McCarthy added.
When asked by "PBS NewsHour" correspondent Lisa Desjardins for comment on McCarthy's remarks, Pelosi said: "Perhaps you mistake me for somebody who would care about that."
On Monday, McCarthy named five Republicans to serve on the January 6 House select committee to investigate the Capitol insurrection - Banks as the ranking member, and Reps. Jordan, Rodney Davis, Kelly Armstrong, and Troy Nehls. Nehls also voted against certifying Biden's win in Arizona and Pennsylvania.
The legislation that established the January 6 commission gave Pelosi the authority to veto any of McCarthy's selections.
Pelosi said in the statement she met with McCarthy on Wednesday regarding "the objections raised" regarding his appointments and "the impact their appointments may have on the integrity of the investigation."
