For all the bravado among Republicans that they'll deep-six the work of the Jan. 6 committee as soon as they take power from Democrats in the House next month, they and their shrinking leader, Donald Trump, have become its best promoters. Their (mis)behavior ensures that the panel's findings — the full report is expected Wednesday — are as relevant looking ahead as they are looking back to that tragic time. In fact, you could say they've legitimated what the House Republican leader, Rep. "My Kevin" McCarthy, once tried to label the "least legitimate committee in American history."
At the committee's public finale Monday, it plans to release a summary of its report and vote to recommend criminal and ethics actions against various parties —likely including Trump and some of his House henchmen — to the Justice Department, House Ethics Committee and various state bar associations.
While the committee's life extends 30 days beyond its report's release, under terms of the House resolution that created it last year, the panel effectively dies next week. Not only is there no chance the Republican-led House would renew it, McCarthy has vowed the new majority will investigate the investigators. This from the man who made "Benghazi" a catchword for truly illegitimate, politically motivated congressional investigations.
