Rep. Liz Cheney, the committee’s vice chair, stated on Sunday that the House select committee looking into the assault on the Capitol on January 6 might recommend the former president Donald Trump for prosecution.
Cheney made the remarks on ABC’s “This Week” as committee members claim additional material is coming forward in the wake of Cassidy Hutchinson, a 26-year-old former White House employee, giving stunning testimony last week. According to Cheney, the Justice Department would determine if Trump should be held legally accountable, and the committee would ultimately decide whether to refer the matter.
“I think we may well have a view on that as a committee,” Cheney said on Sunday. “If you just think about it from the perspective of what kind of man knows that a mob is armed and sends the mob to attack the Capitol and further incites that mob when his own vice president is under threat, when the Congress is under threat.” “It’s just — it’s really unsettling, and I think we will, you know, continue to expose what we uncovered to the American people.”
When asked explicitly if it was likely that the former president will receive a criminal referral, Cheney answered, “Yes.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee’s chairman, uses a different tone than that. The committee “does not have authority” to refer criminal charges against Trump, he told reporters last month. Cheney and other members at the time seemed to deviate from that finding and allow leeway for the ex-president to be criminally referred.
“Regarding prospective criminal referrals, the committee has not yet rendered a conclusion. At the proper time, we’ll make a decision on that announcement “Cheney at the time published on Twitter.
Cheney emphasised on Sunday that the Justice Department might recommend a case for criminal investigation without waiting for the committee to do so.
Hutchinson said last week that the former president knew his followers on the National Mall were armed but still wanted to let them inside his rally. She stated in court that Trump remarked “I don’t effing care that they have weapons, something like that. They don’t intend to harm me. Remove the effing magazines. Embrace my folks. From here, they can march to the Capitol. Allow the crowd in. Remove the effing magazines,” “referring to metal detectors, also known as magnetometers, which are used for security screening.
Additionally, according to Hutchinson’s testimony, Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani and former White House head of staff Mark Meadows both requested presidential pardons.
Rep. Adam Schiff, a committee member, stated on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that additional material is becoming available as a result of Hutchinson’s testimony.
According to Schiff, “additional information is undoubtedly coming forward.” “We’ll wait and see if that manifests into specific testimony on this or that topic, but in the meantime, we’re pursuing other avenues. Those leads, in my opinion, will result in fresh testimony.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Republican on the committee, also stated on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the committee will hear testimony from individuals that he did not anticipate hearing from during the probe.
“Yes. Yes. There is, there will be, “Sunday, he said. “There will be a lot more details. And pay attention.”
