Republican Kinzinger joins Jan 6. attack probe

Democratic U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday formally named Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger to serve on a select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Kinzinger, 43, is an Air Force veteran and an outspoken critic of Trump.

He was one of seven House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump earlier this year on a charge of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol.

In a statement, Pelosi said Kinzinger "brings great patriotism to the committee’s mission: to find the facts and protect our democracy."

Adam Kinzinger joins fellow Republican Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, another outspoken critic of the former president, on the committee.

"I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office."

Republicans ousted Cheney from her leadership role earlier this year after she voted to impeach the president and decried his lies about the 2020 election.

"We cannot be dragged backward by the very dangerous lies of the former president."

Both Kinzinger and Cheney joined the panel despite an outcry from the leader of their conference.

A vote in the House earlier created the bipartisan 13-member committee, which would have included eight Democrats and five Republicans.

But Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House Minority Leader, kicked off a spat with Speaker Pelosi last week over which Republicans might participate.

"I did not accept two of the five people who were appointed."

After Pelosi rejected two of McCarthy's suggestions, he subsequently pulled all five of his nominees.

"No committee in Congress will work if one person is picking all who can serve."

His rejection of the commission comes after McCarthy and other GOP leaders opposed the creation of an outside bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the Capitol riot.

The House panel will will hold its first hearing on the deadly Jan 6. attack on Tuesday.