Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t be reconsidering her decision to block two Republican appointees from a special committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, even though it prompted GOP leaders to walk away from participating entirely.

The California Democrat told reporters Thursday that Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Jim Banks of Indiana have made statements that would jeopardize the integrity of the investigation.

The comments counter claims by the GOP that Pelosi and Democrats want to block Republicans from investigating serious security lapses in the Capitol on Jan. 6 and whether Democratic leaders could have done more to prevent rioters from storming the building.

Banks, Pelosi said, blamed the riot on the Biden administration. She didn’t specify which comments disqualified Jordan. Both voted against certifying the election for Joe Biden, and both have criticized the riot panel as a partisan weapon Democrats will use to malign former President Donald Trump and the GOP.

Pelosi said statements made by Jordan and Banks “completely make it impossible for them to exercise judgment.”

Pelosi’s decision to ban Jordan and Banks from participating prompted Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to withdraw all five GOP appointees.

At least one GOP lawmaker will participate.

Pelosi appointed Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming to one of the eight seats controlled by Democrats. Pelosi is also weighing the addition of Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois. Kinzinger and Cheney were the only two GOP lawmakers who voted in favor of creating the select committee to investigate the riot. Kinzinger also blames Trump for the riot and voted alongside Cheney and several other Republicans to impeach him.

“With respect for the integrity of the investigation with concern that to the American people want to know the truth, and in light of statements and actions taken by them, I could not appoint them, ” Pelosi said.

Republicans say Pelosi booted Jordan and Banks because they planned to focus part of the investigation on security lapses that allowed rioters to gain access to the Capitol easily on Jan. 6.

Democrats want the panel to investigate the role of Trump and Republicans in inciting the riot and facilitating the breach of the Capitol by hundreds of protesters. Republicans say the panel should examine the serious security lapses and lack of security preparation ahead of the protests and that they want to know whether Democratic leaders denied help offered ahead of time by the National Guard.

Banks planned to call as a witness the head of the Capitol Police union, which has been critical of the security lapses. Banks said he informed panel chairman and Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson of his plans the day before Pelosi kicked him off the committee.

Banks also tweeted last week that Pelosi “created the committee solely to malign conservatives & justify the Left’s authoritarian agenda.”

Both Jordan and Banks were among dozens of Republicans who voted against certifying some of the 2020 presidential election results. Some Democrats on the riot committee have also voted in the past against certifying presidential election results, but for GOP winners.

Pelosi insisted Thursday the two lawmakers were disqualified because of past comments about the riot.

“When statements are ridiculous and fall into the realm of ‘you must be kidding,’ there’s no way that they’re going to be on the committee,” Pelosi said.

Original Location: Pelosi firm on booting pro-Trump GOP from Jan. 6 riot committee