Liz Cheney is hitting back hard after House Republicans called for criminal charges against her over her involvement in the January 6th Committee’s investigation into the Capitol riot. The GOP’s 128-page report, released on Tuesday, accused Cheney of potential witness tampering and called for an FBI investigation into her actions.
The Republican report takes aim at Cheney’s work on the committee, claiming it was politically biased and designed to unfairly blame former President Donald Trump for the violence on January 6, 2021. The report criticizes the committee for being an “instrument of political warfare,” alleging that its sole purpose was to damage Trump’s reputation and legacy.
“This multimillion-dollar political operation was created to deceive the public, shift blame to President Trump, and tarnish his presidency,” the report states.
However, the most explosive accusation centers on Cheney’s communications with Cassidy Hutchinson, a key witness in the committee’s hearings. Hutchinson, a former White House aide, provided damning testimony about Trump’s actions before and during the Capitol attack. According to the GOP report, Cheney may have improperly contacted Hutchinson after the aide changed lawyers, and the Republicans suggest this could amount to witness tampering.
It’s a claim that if pursued would likely face significant roadblocks but that nonetheless comes as Trump has suggested members of the Jan. 6 panel should “go to jail” for their work.
The report claims that Cheney’s actions raised concerns about potential “improper influence” over Hutchinson’s testimony. The GOP alleges that Cheney played a role in steering Hutchinson’s testimony, despite the fact that Cheney’s communications with Hutchinson appear to have focused on advising her to seek legal counsel—a common and appropriate action for a lawmaker to take with a potential witness.
In response, Cheney slammed the accusations as “malicious” and “cowardly.” She denounced the report as a baseless attempt to undermine the January 6 committee’s work and protect Trump from accountability. Cheney emphasized that the committee’s findings were based on overwhelming evidence, including testimony from Republicans, and argued that the GOP’s report was an effort to rewrite history.
“The January 6th Committee’s investigation laid out in painstaking detail the actions of Donald Trump, a man who allowed an insurrection to unfold while he watched TV and refused to stop it,” Cheney said in a statement. “This report is a deliberate attempt to cover up the truth and protect a man who sought to overturn an election.”
Cheney also rejected the GOP’s claim that the committee was politically motivated. “No reputable lawyer, legislator, or judge would take these allegations seriously,” she said. “The truth stands for itself, and the evidence was clear.”
Legal experts also point out that Cheney’s actions could be shielded under the Speech or Debate Clause, which protects lawmakers from legal action related to their official duties.
At the heart of the GOP’s allegations is Cheney’s contact with Hutchinson, who was originally represented by lawyer Stefan Passantino before changing legal teams. The report argues that it is “unethical” for a member of Congress to contact a witness who has legal representation, a point Cheney’s defenders argue is a misunderstanding of her actions.
In her defense, Cheney pointed out that her communication with Hutchinson was limited to advising the witness to seek independent legal advice, a standard and appropriate practice. She also emphasized that any potential legal action against her would likely be protected by the Speech or Debate Clause, which shields lawmakers from legal action related to their official duties.
The report, put together by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), also criticized the committee for allegedly deleting evidence, a claim strongly rejected by committee members, who say all evidence was preserved and publicly released.
Loudermilk, who has been under scrutiny for giving Capitol tours to individuals who later participated in the January 6 attack, has previously suggested that a new committee should be created to investigate Capitol security. His criticism of Cheney and the committee underscores the ongoing Republican effort to challenge the findings of the January 6 investigation.
Despite the GOP’s efforts to discredit her work on the committee, Cheney and others who served on the panel remain steadfast in their belief that the investigation uncovered the truth about Trump’s role in inciting the violence.
The call for criminal charges is the latest in a series of political moves aimed at diminishing the impact of the January 6 investigation. But Cheney’s fiery response makes it clear that she intends to continue pushing for accountability, no matter how hard the GOP fights to protect Trump.
