Republicans are terrified of Capitol attack truths and Democrats must find out why – USA TODAY

Let Republicans complain that the Jan. 6 investigation is unfair. The facts will speak for themselves. The evidence and testimony will tell the story.

Kurt Bardella| Opinion columnist

The last time a House speaker set up a select committee with an investigative mandate, Republican John Boehner was speaker, it was 2014, and he was launching the GOPs sixth probe of aterrorist attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi, Libya,on Sept. 11, 2012.Now Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced shell name a select committee to look into the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. If we are to do justice to the events of Jan. 6, we must resist the temptation to compare the Benghazi and insurrection investigations.

The triggers forthese two select committee investigations could not be more different. Jan.6 was an act of domestic terrorism incited and encouraged by our own political leaders. Benghazi was an act of terrorism that exposed vulnerabilities in our foreign embassy security protocols, and Republicans turned it into away todestroy former Secretary of State Hillary Clintonafter earlier investigations had found noserious wrongdoing.

From minute one, it became clear, the purpose was to blame then-secretary of state Clinton, particularly after she became a Democratic presidential candidate," the late Rep. Elijah Cummings,the senior Democraton the Benghazi Select Committee, said in his book, "We're Better Than This." "The investigation put her under constant scrutiny, accusation, and presumed guilt at one point including an eleven-hour grilling of Secretary Clinton herself.

Cummings instincts were confirmed byHouse Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, who infamously bragged to Sean Hannity that the Benghazi proceedings were part of a strategy to fight and win the 2016 presidential election.

Moreover, when terrorists stormed the Benghazi compound in Libya, resulting in the deaths of four Americans, they did not do so at the instruction of the president of the United States. They did not do so with the support of one of the two major political parties in America. They did not do so as part of a widespread disinformation campaign designed to undermine the integrity of American democracy.

The structure of the Democrats' new select committee must reflect the new reality that their Republican counterparts are engaged in an active cover-up of the events they are investigating. If Republicans in Congress wanted to be honest and equal partners in this investigation, they would have supported forming a bipartisan 9/11-style commission. Instead, they blocked it.

The Republican strategy for the Jan. 6 attack isto pretend it didnt happen.Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia hasused the phrase normal tourist visit to describe the events of a violent insurrection. Nevermind there's a photo of himon the House floor trying to barricade the doors to protect himself from those tourists. Other Republicans have labeled those who wanted to "hang Mike Pence as patriots. Its possible that some Republicans in Congress even gave tours to insurrection planners, who may have used those tours to scout the layoutof the Capitol.

Some Republicans have made a conscious decision to side with the violent Capitol rioters. Manywill attack Democrats and label the select committeea partisan witch hunt. They will complain that the committee isnt fair or equal. My advice: Let them. The facts will speak for themselves. The evidence and testimony will tell the story.

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Asthey did with this year'simpeachment proceedings, House Democrats need to appoint their most skilled and savvy members to the select committee. Some who come to mind: Reps. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, Adam Schiff of California, Eric Swalwell of California, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ted Lieu of California, Val Demings of Florida, Joaquin Castro of Texas, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Veronica Escobar of Texasand Karen Bass of California.

And the Democratic chair needs to have unilateral subpoena and deposition authority. A subpoena request from Republicansor an effort to veto a subpoenashould require a majority vote of the committee. If Republicans dont like that, just quote Benghazi Chair Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., to them from 2015:I am unwilling to let the minority party veto subpoenas when it is clear they have prejudged the outcome of the investigation.

In addition, House Democratsshould strongly consider ditching the normal five-minute volleys that alternate between Democrats and Republicans. Instead, give each side a set bloc of time to ask their questions. Just like in an actual court hearing, make the witness answer questions from one side first, and then be cross-examined after.

Finally, nothing is more important than a firstimpression. The select committee'sfirst witness should be Washington Metropolitan Police Department Officer Michael Fanone. Let officer Fanone tell the story of Jan.6from his firsthand perspective. Dare those law and order Republicans to tell officer Fanone that what he experienced was just a normal tourist visit. Show the world the bodycam footage depicting the moment he was brutally assaulted by these patriots.

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Republicans aredesperate to move on. Many are trying to convince the world that what we can readily see with our eyes and ears isnt the truth. Democrats dont have to overreach. They dont have to use fiery rhetoric. All they have to do is show the truth, the whole truthand nothing but the truth. Republicans know that, and theyre terrified of it. Its time to find out why.

Kurt Bardella, amember of USA TODAYs Board of Contributors and an adviser to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, isa former spokesperson and senior adviser for Republicans on the House Oversight Committee. Follow him on Twitter:@KurtBardella

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Republicans are terrified of Capitol attack truths and Democrats must find out why - USA TODAY