Jan 6 committee announces date of final public hearing

The House select committee investigating the riot at the US Capitol on 6 January will hold its next hearing final hearing next Wednesday, Chairman Bennie ThompsontoldThe New York Times on Tuesday.

Mr Thompson said this will likely be its final hearing barring new developments. The hearing comes after the August recess and after no hearings were held since the House reconvened.

Before the House went for a break, Vice Chairwoman Liz Cheney indicated that while the committee hoped to wrap up hearings in July, new developments meant that the committee would likely hold hearings in August.

But the committee is also running out of time to present its report. Its mandate runs out on 31 December and Republicans are expected to take over the House of Representatives in November’s midterm election.

Similarly, three members of the committee will exit Congress at the beginning of next year. Ms Cheney lost her primary for Wyoming’s at-large district to Harriet Hageman, largely as a consequence for her constant criticism of former president Donald Trump and her membership on the committee.

The committee’s other Republican, Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, chose not to seek reelection as did Democratic Representative Stephanie Murphy of Florida. Democratic Representative Elaine Luria, another member of the committee, also faces a difficult re-election campaign in Virginia’s 2nd district.

The committee also to submit its final report before the end of the year, though Axios reported that it will likely not release the report until after the election.

The last hearing was held before the FBI executed a search warrant on Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.