House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday eight members of the select committee she has formed to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming as the sole Republican to date. Pelosi appointed Homeland Security Committee Chair Bennie Thompson to lead the committee’s investigation and said she hoped Republicans would move “expeditiously” to name five more GOP members to panel. 

But that seems unlikely after Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took the extra step of threatening to strip any Republican member who agreed to be on the panel of their committee assignments. 

Asked what Democrats would do if Republicans fail to cooperate, Pelosi said bluntly, “Well, we have a quorum.” In other words, Democrats will move ahead with the select committee’s investigation with or without McCarthy’s additions. Pelosi added that the committee’s members would ultimately be responsible for determining their own timeline.

Asked about McCarthy’s antics at her Thursday press conference, Pelosi declined to engage, saying that was a matter for the GOP caucus.

“We are committed to doing something that honors the vision of our founders,” Pelosi responded. “It’s going to be high level and it’s going to justify the support of the American people. It’s not political so I’m not getting involved in any discussion of what goes on in the Republican caucus.”

Rep. Cheney, who was one of only two Republicans to vote in favor of the select committee, seemed undeterred by McCarthy’s threats.

“Those who are responsible for the attack need to be held accountable and this select committee will fulfill that responsibility in a professional, expeditious, and non-partisan manner,” Cheney wrote in a statement.

The only other Republican to give the select committee a thumbs up, Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, was less diplomatic about McCarthy’s warning. 

“Who gives a shit?” Kinzinger offered. 

In his own press conference Thursday, McCarthy declined to say whether he would name any GOP members to the committee. Asked about Cheney’s participation, McCarthy took the opportunity to question her loyalty to the Republican Party. “Maybe she’s closer to [Pelosi] than us,” he quipped.

The select committee will have full subpoena powers and, although Pelosi declined to get into it, McCarthy’s phone call with Donald Trump amid the violent Jan. 6 siege will almost surely become a central part of the investigation. None other than Cheney has suggested McCarthy should testify before the committee and be subpoenaed if he refuses to cooperate with the investigation.

Rep. Thompson, the committee chair, said Thursday the committee might call on McCarthy to testify along with Trump and perhaps other members of the GOP caucus. He also said the probe would extend into next year.

Here are the eight select committee members announced Thursday:

<strong>Chair Bennie Thompson:</strong> Chair of Homeland Security Committee
<strong>Chair Zoe Lofgren:</strong> Chair of Committee on House Administration
<strong>Chair Adam Schiff</strong>: Chair of House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
<strong>Rep. Pete Aguilar</strong>, House Administration and Appropriations Committees
<strong>Rep. Liz Cheney</strong>, Armed Services Committee
<strong>Rep. Stephanie Murphy,</strong> Armed Services Committee
<strong>Rep. Jamie Raskin,</strong> Oversight and Judiciary Committees
<strong>Rep. Elaine Luria</strong>, Navy veteran, Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees