'You Worried?' Kinzinger Taunts Jackson Over Attacks on Jan. 6 Committee

Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican, taunted his colleague Representative Ronny Jackson over a tweet attacking the January 6 House select committee.

Jackson, a Texas Republican, on Saturday, went after the committee on Twitter by writing: "The WITCH HUNT committee of unselects is FAILING. Americans can see through their lies, and NOBODY believes them. It's all a SHAM meant to DISTRACT. The committee should be dissolved IMMEDIATELY!"

His message comes at a key point for the committee investigating last year's attack on the U.S. Capitol, which saw a mob of Trump supporters riot in an attempt to pressure Congress against certifying Joe Biden's electoral college win. On Friday, lawmakers heard testimony from former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who corroborated parts of former top White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson's bombshell testimony last month.

Meanwhile, Stewart Rhodes, who is the founder of the far-right group Oath Keepers, is considering testifying before the committee.

Legal experts have said Rhodes' testimony could show a link between the militia and the Trump White House. Jackson has also faced allegations of having ties to the group.

Court documents filed in April showed that members of the Oath Keepers discussed plans to protect Jackson during the riot because he had important data to protect, according to a letter published by the committee. A text message from members of the Oath Keepers read: "Dr. Ronnie Jackson - on the move. Needs protection. If anyone inside cover him. He has critical data to protect."

Kinzinger, who is one of two Republicans to sit on the committee, hit back at Jackson on Sunday in his own tweet prodding the congressman about whether he is worried about what the investigation may reveal about him.

"Hey Mr Capital-Letters. Nah, we're gonna finish. You worried?" the GOP lawmaker asked.

Jackson previously served as a physician to Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. In Congress, he has represented a solidly conservative district including parts of Texas' panhandle, and has been a loyal Trump supporter.

The text messages sent by members of the Oath Keepers during the riot led investigators to question what sort of contact Jackson had with the group, whose members are accused of helping plan the violent insurrection alongside the Proud Boys, another far-right organization.

"The Oath Keepers and Proud Boys had contacts with a number of other individuals with whom you may also have been in contact. If you had no contact with the individuals who sent these messages, who else would have informed them of your security needs or your location?" the letter read.

Jackson previously denied having any contact with the Oath Keepers.

"It speaks volumes that the Committee would choose to share its letter with the media before it was shared with me. I do not know, nor did I have contact with, those who exchanged text messages about me on January 6. In fact, I was proud to help defend the House Floor from those who posed a threat to my colleagues," he said in a statement.

Newsweek reached out to Jackson's office for comment.