US House votes to form panel to probe Capitol Hill attack

Washington: The Democrat-controlled US House on Wednesday voted for the creation of a select committee to probe the storming on Capitol Hill on January 6 this year. The final vote stood at 222-190 after two Republican representatives, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, backed the formation of a committee with all the democrats.

The Select Committee has been assigned the task of investigating and reporting on the Capitol attack by Trump supporters based on "facts, circumstances and causes", including law enforcement agencies' preparation and the "influencing factors that fomented" the attack. The attack was aimed at preventing the certification of the 2020 election results.

House Democrats moved to establish a committee after Senate Republicans blocked the legislation to create an independent bipartisan commission.

"We have a duty to the Constitution and to the American people to find the truth of January 6 and to ensure that such an assault on our democracy can never happen again," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

Republicans opposed the committee for they believe it to be overtly partisan. They have maintained that the investigation will be narrowly focused on Trump's role, avoiding other instances of political violence like the shooting at a GOP lawmakers' baseball practice in 2017.

"This has been created as a partisan issue at a time when it should not be partisan. And if you're not partisan, then you include all the things that threaten us, that threaten this body, that threaten this building, and that threaten the people that work in it. Let's be serious. If you're serious, be inclusive, be complete and do the right thing," said GOP Representative and Republican Brad Wenstrup of Ohio.