Human Rights First Commends Speaker’s Plans to Create a Committee Examining the Insurrection, Calls for a Broad Investigation

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her intention to create a House select committee to probe the January 6th assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Human Rights First is encouraged by the Speaker’s continued commitment to ensuring that the events of January 6th are thoroughly investigated. Human Rights First urges this select committee to focus on the political failures that led to the storming of the Capitol, as well as the potential guilt of members of Congress and former President Trump for their roles in inciting the mob and perpetuating the lie that the election was stolen.

Human Rights First previously expressed support for creating a bipartisan commission to investigate the events of January 6th but called for greater mechanisms for accountability for perpetrators of the attack on the Capitol. Following the failed vote to establish such a commission, we believe creating a select committee is a logical next step that can, if given the proper mandate and resources, offer many of the same benefits as a commission.