Jan. 6 committee spent $1.6M this past quarter, indicating heightened activity

The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack spent $1.64 million between October and December, an indication that the panel's work is speeding up.

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has spent more than $2 million on its investigation, including $1.64 million between October and December -- an indication that the panel's work is speeding up.

The $1.64 million is roughly four times the $418,000 the panel spent from July to September of 2021, according to spending disclosures. The increased spending is a sign of how much the committee is expanding its work ahead of public hearings and an interim report that's expected this spring and summer.

Much of the big jump in the committee's spending comes from an increase in payroll, with the panel reporting $1.2 million in personnel compensation in the final three months of last year compared to just $327,000 from July through September.

The committee hired 12 additional staff members last quarter, bringing the total headcount to 41, up from 29 in September of 2021. The new staffers include investigators and attorneys with experience studying organized crime, terrorism, cryptocurrency, and financial crimes, as well as several former federal prosecutors.