John Stephens: Banks should be a witness before the committee

For the past few weeks media outlets have been reporting that Representative Jim Banks (R- IN03) was in the running to be named to the Select Committee tasked with investigating the events of January 6th, 2021. On July 19th, Representative Banks shared the news that he would be the ranking Republican member of that committee.

“It’s appalling,” said John Stephens, Democratic candidate for Congress running against Jim Banks. “Mr. Banks should be called as a witness before this committee, not tasked with a position of leadership.”

Representative Banks has repeatedly stated via social media and news networks that he will seek to derail the expressed purposes of the commission, in an effort to obfuscate, misdirect, and distract Americans from what happened on January 6th.

“What happened that day was an insurrection,” said Stephens. “It was a terrorist attack by Americans, on Americans, financed by Americans, and the worst attack against Americans since September 11th. People who encouraged terrorists to come to Washington, who provided aid and comfort to the same, should not then be tasked with investigating the events of that day.”

“My opponent has repeatedly shown Hoosiers, and this nation, that he holds no loyalty for the people who elected him, no loyalty to the Constitution, and no loyalty to America. His loyalty is to a failed former President, a divisive culture war, and to himself, making every decision with only one goal in mind, gaining greater personal power. No good will come of his appointment to this committee, and that is exactly what the extremist leaders of the Republican Party want,” concluded Mr. Stephens.