Pelosi rejects GOP picks Jordan, Banks on Jan. 6 committee; McCarthy threatens to pull out

WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday rejected two Republican members for the select committee that will investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy responded by threatening to pull House Republicans out of the process.

McCarthy on Monday selected five Republicans to join the committee: ranking member Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Illinois Rep. Rodney Davis, North Dakota Rep. Kelly Armstrong and Texas Rep. Troy Nehls.

Earlier Wednesday, Pelosi said she "must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee."

In a statement, Pelosi said she had spoken with McCarthy about "the impact their appointments may have on the integrity of the investigation."

McCarthy said Pelosi's action "represents an egregious abuse of power."

“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," he said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.

Jordan, a vocal critic of the committee, said, "Speaker Pelosi just admitted the obvious, that the January 6th Select Committee is nothing more than a partisan political charade," in a statement.

Banks said in a tweet he was "disappointed in this unprecedented move" by Pelosi. "This proves again this is entirely a political stunt, not a true effort to follow the facts," he added.

The National Republican Congressional Committee also echoed the comments from Jordan and Banks.

“Nancy Pelosi is abusing her power and acting like a tyrant. Democrats’ only goal with this sham committee is to score political points," said NRCC spokesman Mike Berg.

More: Kevin McCarthy names 5 Republicans to Jan. 6 select committee, including Jim Jordan

Banks and Jordan are vocal in their support of Trump

All five of the congressmen recommended by McCarthy had voted against impeaching former President Donald Trump during his second trial.

In a statement, Banks said he accepted the appointment to the House Select Committee to "force the Democrats and media to answer questions so far ignored." Banks has previously criticized the House panel's investigation arguing that the focus should be on last summer's racial justice protests as well as the Jan. 6 riot.

In a Newsmax interview Monday, Jordan, an outspoken Trump supporter, told the conservative outlet, "We know what this is. This is impeachment Round 3."

Both Banks and Jordan were also among those who opposed certifying election the results from the 2020 presidential election.

Pelosi also took aim at the GOP for scuttling an independent investigation into the riots.

“It had been our hope to establish a bipartisan, independent National Commission," Pelsoi said. "But there is no prospect for that Commission at this time because of insufficient support from Republican Senators.

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Contributing: Bart Jansen, USA TODAY; Kaitlin Lange, Indianapolis Star

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pelosi rejects Republicans Banks, Jordan from Jan. 6 select committee