House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he would pull all five of his Republican picks from the select committee to investigate the riot on Capitol Hill after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi objected to seating two of his choices.

       The announcement came after Ms Pelosi refused to seat Reps Jim Banks of Indiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio, two hardline members of the Republican caucus.

       “The unprecedented nature of January 6th demands this unprecedented decision.”

       Mr McCarthy criticised the move in a statement.

       “This represents an egregious abuse of power and will irreparably damage this institution,” he said. Specifically, Mr McCarthy decried objecting to Mr Banks, who serves in the US Navy Reserves, and Mr Jordan, who is the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.

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       But Ms Pelosi did not object to seating Rep Rodney Davis, who is the ranking Republican on the House Administration Committee. Nor did she object to seating Rep Troy Nehls, a former sheriff who served in the US Army. And like Mr Jordan and Mr Banks, Mr Nehls also voted to object to the certification of elections results.

       Mr McCarthy said that unless Ms Pelosi seated all five members, he would not allow Republicans to take part.

       “Unless Speaker Pelosi reverses course and seats all five Republican nominees, Republicans will not be party to their sham process and will instead pursue our own investigation of the facts,” Mr McCarthy said in a statement.