Rep. Ilhan Omar Statement on Select Committee to Investigate the Agencies Overseeing Accountability for the January 6th Insurrection

WASHINGTON—Rep. Ilhan Omar released the following statement after voting against a partisan Republican bill to establish a select committee to investigate the agencies overseeing accountability for the January 6th insurrection.

"In 1975, the Senate created a bipartisan Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities. Dubbed the Church Committee, the panel uncovered the surveillance and abuses against civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as illegal programs to assassinate foreign leaders. Minnesota legend Walter Mondale served on the committee and his questions helped uncover abuses of power. 

"I had high hopes that this would be a Church-style committee, where we could investigate surveillance of American citizens, violations of civil liberties, and the intelligence community’s overseas abuses of power. 

"It is clear that this committee is going to be one of personal grievances and defending insurrectionists, led by members who are themselves being investigated for their role in the January 6th insurrection and who have openly defied accountability by not complying with Congressional subpoenas. The goal is not justice, but to delegitimize credible investigations into people who attempted to overthrow our government. 

"Additionally, agency oversight belongs in the House Committee on Oversight and Reform or on an independent committee. The fact that this is being formed under the Judiciary Committee suggests that the goal isn’t accountability but rather to obstruct justice and undercut legal investigations they don’t agree with.

"For these reasons I voted no."

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