Capitol Riot Hearings: Everything to know about the panel investigating the January 6 'attempted coup'

Capitol Riot Hearings panel finds Donald Trump as the instigator of the January 6 'attempted coup' (Image via Tayfun Coskun/Getty Images)

A congressional panel constituting nine members from both the Republican and Democratic parties was appointed to conduct an investigation into the deadly Capitol Riot of January 6, 2021, and former President Donald Trump's role in instigating the mob assault.

The findings of the year-long investigation were presented in televised sessions on June 9, providing Americans with previously unseen evidence.

Who are the members of the Capitol Riot Hearings panel?

Bennie Gordon Thompson

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The Capitol Riot Hearings committee is chaired by Mississippi Democrat Bennie Thompson. Thompson is most notably known for his work to protect and enhance voting rights. The 74-year-old has been the head of the Committee on Homeland Security since 2019, reprising his position after his initial stint from 2007-2011.

During the panel's first public hearing, Thompson opined that Trump was "at the center of this conspiracy." He continued:

"January 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup — a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after January 6 — to overthrow the government. The violence was no accident. [Rioters acted] at the encouragement of the president of the United States."

Liz Cheney

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Vice-chair Liz Cheney, an attorney and representative for Wyoming's at-large Congressional District since 2017, is a Republican. However, following the Capitol riots, she became a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump. She was also one of nine Republicans who voted in favor of impeaching him. In her opening remarks, Cheney claimed:

"President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack."

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Adam Kinzinger

Adam Kinzinger, the congressman representing Illinois' 16th congressional district, is a fellow Republican on the committee with Cheney. The 44-year-old not only voted to impeach Trump during the Capitol riots, but he has also been critical of several of his own party's policies. Kinzinger was also one of the only Republicans pushing for gun control legislation in the aftermath of the Texas school shooting.

Jamie Raskin

The committee also includes Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, who previously served as the chief impeachment manager in Trump's post-6 January trial. According to reports:

"[Raskin] came near to tears when outlining the weight of evidence and the risks posed not just by the act itself but the precedent it set for presidential conduct."

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Zoe Lofgren

Zoe Lofgren, a Democratic lawmaker from California, was also involved in Trump's impeachment after the Capitol riots. The 74-year-old gravely condemned overlooking relevant evidence regarding the former President's offenses in the previous trial. She serves on a number of committees, including the House Judiciary Committee, and chairs the California Democratic Congressional Delegation.

Elaine Luria

Elaine Luria is a Navy veteran who serves as the congressperson for Virginia's 2nd congressional district. When the Capitol riots occurred, the 46-year-old Democrat was inside the Capitol. On the anniversary of the riots, Luria said:

"Abraham Lincoln said in response to potential threats to our Republic, 'If it ever reach us it must spring up amongst us; it cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher.’ These words continue to ring true today.”

Stephanie Murphy

43-year-old Stephanie Murphy is a Democractic Vietnamese-born US leader. Commenting on the Capitol Riots, Murphy stated:

“To see the citadel of American democracy assaulted is a reminder that our democracy is not self-sustaining. It needs to be preserved and protected by American patriots of every political stripe.”

Adam Schiff

61-year-old Democrat Adam Schiff is a lawyer, author, and politician who commented on the televised proceedings, saying:

“Our goal is to present the narrative of what happened in this country, how close we came to losing our democracy, what led to the violence. There’s a great deal [Americans] haven’t seen."

Pete Aguilar

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Pete Aguilar is the former mayor of Redlands and the current representative from California's 31st congressional district. The Democrat previously discussed the impending hearing, claiming that

"the televised events will not be a 'Disney production,' but the committee is clearly invested in making sure they come across as intended."

Edited by Babylona Bora