Donald Trump dragged a House Republican into the White House to ask why the long-delayed GOP-led investigation into the January 6 attack was taking so long to launch.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who’s leading the latest select subcommittee probe into the 2021 Capitol riot, told CNN that the president summoned him in early June to question the lack of any progress after the Capitol riot do-over was first announced in January.
“We sat and talked for a while. And he was asking, ‘What is the stall?’ Because he had expected it to be done early in the year, too,” Loudermilk said. “We talked about it, he engaged with the Speaker’s office.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reluctance to dig through old ground and scrutinize the previous Democrat-led committee’s work—which included former GOP Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger—was attributed to the delay, reported CNN citing unnamed sources.
Johnson was also aware some vulnerable House Republicans would rather the party focus on other issues heading into next year’s crucial midterm elections.
Trump told Johnson he considers another House investigation into the January 6 attack, which would also question whether Capitol security was adequately prepared the day of the riot, a top priority.
Loudermilk had been at odds with Johnson over the scope of the new probe. The Georgia congressman wanted to delve into the work of the previous committee, which accused Trump of inciting an insurrection and recommended criminal charges, and be given his own subpoena powers.
After meeting with Trump in June, both Loudermilk and the president got their way, and the new GOP-led panel will be allowed to dig into the original investigation.
“The White House was clear they wanted us to continue doing what we were doing,” Loudermilk told CNN.
Democrats who served on the original House Select Committee investigating January 6 dismissed the reboot as another desperate distraction attempt from the fallout regarding Jeffrey Epstein.
“Loudermilk’s investigation is now into its third year, and they’ve found absolutely nothing,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, who co-chaired the original Jan. 6 committee, told CNN. “Continuing it is not only pathetic, it sets our democracy back. Republicans will do literally anything to protect Trump and distract from releasing the Epstein files.”
“It seems House Republicans are so desperate to talk about anything other than their Jeffrey Epstein cover-up that they’re breaking out all the tired old hits,” added Rep. Zoe Lofgren, another member of the committee.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
