The 1/6 Committee isn’t planning on a dry report written by staffers. They want to issue a gripping report that tells the story of the Capitol attack.
It’s unclear whether the committee will succeed in bringing on a high-profile journalist or if the committee has finalized a choice to author the report. But the committee’s leaders are keenly aware of the difficulty in breaking through to hard-to-reach audiences, according to staffers and members involved in the process.
“We do not want a bureaucrat to write this report but rather a historian or a journalist — or someone who writes and can tell a story in a compelling way so that people can actually understand what happened,” said Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), a member of the committee.
Two people with knowledge of the report say the committee wants it to include gripping testimony and quotes, along with starring roles for key players in the events leading up to and on Jan. 6, 2021.
The Committee isn’t going to release some boring report full of jargon and terminology written by staffers who in most cases aren’t writers. The 1/6 Committee understands that the best way to make the very complicated plot surrounding Trump’s effort to overturn an election understandable is to present it as a story.
Democrats have traditionally relied on the facts alone to inform and educate voters, which is why some Democrats are confounded as to why some voters vote against their own best interest. Republicans have a history of crafting easily understandable stories that even if they aren’t true, stick with people.
The Republican Party has been afraid of the 1/6 Committee since it was formed, and we are starting to understand why. The Committee is conducting a comprehensive investigation, and they are going to know how to present their findings for maximum impact.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association