That is why keeping Trump front and center while giving Republicans a reason to dismiss the January 6 Committee is a boon for Democrats. It is Republicans who have the most to lose here. If there is going to be a congressional committee focused on the Capitol riot, Republican leaders who care about the prospects of the party and the country in the next two elections need it to have public legitimacy. It must be seen as bipartisan and fair to the former president; but to the extent it investigates his suspected commission of crimes, it should be structured as an inquiry into Trump’s impeachable offenses — with findings on that score that he will have to bear if he tries to run again.

Senator McConnell should join with Minority Leader McCarthy to negotiate with Democrats for an overhauled committee framework and mandate. This must not be a partisan or retaliatory exercise. No current committee member should be removed from the panel, nor need Democratic chairman Bennie Thompson be dislodged from that role. The committee, however, should become bicameral and truly bipartisan — maybe think of it as building back better!

McCarthy should be permitted to appoint four members of his choosing. Democrats are the House majority party, so they should retain their committee majority (which, with Cheney and Kinzinger, is an even larger working majority). The Senate should be permitted to appoint eight or ten members, chosen by McConnell and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and evenly divided between the parties. Thus the joint committee would have 21 or 23 members, which would be manageable and fitting given the gravity of its mandate.