Riggleman, who repeatedly said he would serve if asked, met with Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and staffers of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month to discuss the possibility of working with the panel.
Cheney, the first and most high-profile House Republican tapped to serve on the committee, publicly praised Riggleman last month while his name was being considered.
“I think Denver would be tremendous,” Cheney said in a brief interview. “Denver is somebody who’s got years of experience, especially in all the areas connected to cyber issues. And I think he’d just be a tremendous addition to the work of the committee in terms of understanding, recognizing the extent to which social media platforms were used, the communications that went on in the lead up to the 6th.”
Despite Democrats now being able to tout the involvement of two traditional conservatives — Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) — and now Riggleman as an adviser, the findings of the panel are all but expected to be rejected by Trump allies.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy pulled all five of his picks to serve on the select panel after Pelosi rejected two of his key picks: Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.).
The GOP leader and other Republicans have largely blasted the top Democrat’s move, seeking to frame the panel as a partisan ploy designed to hurt Trump and the GOP ahead of the upcoming midterms. They have also pointed to the involvement of three former House impeachment managers and an uneven balance of seats between Democrats and Republicans on the panel as proof it is stacked against them.
But House Democrats and some Republican members have reminded their GOP colleagues that they rejected a resolution seeking to establish a bipartisan 9/11-style commission earlier this year, which came after one of their own, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), struck a deal with Democrats. GOP leaders then began an informal whip operation against the agreement.
Despite this effort, 35 House Republicans still voted to establish the commission. Only two Republicans voted to form the select panel, both of whom now serve at the appointment of Pelosi.
Last month, the committee held its first hearing featuring four members of law enforcement who described the violence and racism they encountered at the hands of the rioters seeking to challenge President Joe Biden’s election win.
Heather Caygle contributed to this report.
