House GOP's new Jan. 6 committee questions what happened that day

The House GOP's new select committee held its first hearing to review the FBI's multi-year probe of pipe bombs found near party headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021, following an arrest last month; Republicans advanced alternative theories while Democrats objected to efforts to revise earlier findings.

The House GOP's new Select Committee on Jan. 6 met for its first hearing to examine the FBI's investigation of pipe bombs discovered near the Democratic and Republican party headquarters on Jan. 6, 2021. The FBI arrested a suspect in that pipe-bomb case last month. Republicans on the panel raised alternative explanations for the day's events and questioned aspects of the earlier, Democratic-led investigation. Democrats on the committee pushed back, saying they would not accept what they described as attempts to rewrite the record. Key facts: - The committee's initial hearing focused on the FBI's probe of pipe bombs found on Jan. 6 and why the investigation took several years to yield an arrest. - The FBI arrested Brian Cole Jr. last month on suspicion of placing the pipe bombs, according to testimony and reporting in the hearing. - Republican members advanced theories that certain actors or law enforcement actions influenced the course of events that day, and questioned investigative choices made at the time. - Democrats on the panel objected to those lines of inquiry and defended the findings of the earlier, bipartisan House panel established after the events. - The hearing also noted that some people convicted in connection with Jan. 6 have since been pardoned, a topic discussed during testimony. Summary: The hearing underscored continuing partisan disagreement over the facts and interpretation of what occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. Committee members examined the pipe-bomb investigation and discussed presidential pardons for some participants, with future committee actions undetermined at this time.