Liz Cheney Warns Donald Trump’s DOJ of Potential ‘Sanctions’ If They Pursue an Investigation Against Her

Liz Cheney, Donald Trump’s new Department of Justice, threatened on Monday by claiming any action to investigate the now defunct January 6, 2016 committee would be “sanctionable behavior.” In a statement released in response to Trump’s recent interview on “Meet the Press,” Cheney denied that she or her colleagues had destroyed evidence.

 

The President-elect spoke to NBC News Kristen Welker and said the following.

 

The President-elect stated that Cheney, Thompson, and other members of the committee, which was made up of political thugs, and creeps, did something inexcusable. He was referring to Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee’s chair. “They deleted and disposed of all evidence.”

 

Cheney reacted angrily, declaring that Trump had committed “the worst breach of our Constitution in the history of our nation.”

 

She said, “Here’s the truth: Donald Trump tried to overturn and seize the power of the 2020 presidential elections,” in a press release. “He mobilized a mob of angry people and sent them into the United States Capitol where they attacked officers, invaded, and stopped the official counting. Trump watched as the Capitol was attacked and police officers brutally beaten on TV. He refused to tell the mob that they should leave for hours.

 

 

She added: “This was by far the most serious breach of our Constitution in our country’s history.” Donald Trump’s suggestion to jail members of Congress who investigated his illegal, unconstitutional, and unlawful actions is part of his ongoing assault on the rule of law and the foundation of our nation.

 

This is even more deplorable when you read it after the election. It has never been proven that Donald Trump wanted anyone to attack the Capitol Building. The claim that he refused for “hours” to ask “the mob to leave”, is also false. Trump didn’t try to “seize the power,” but it is proven that he asked for National Guard troops, and was refused.

 

How can we be sure? The committee of January 6th received testimony that corroborated the claim. Cheney and the rest of her cohorts did not include this testimony in their hearings, or even report. The testimony was not revealed until March 2024. Three National Guard officers told the same story a month later.

 

As to Trump’s claim of evidence being “deleted and destroyed,” that happened as well.

 

Cheney, faced with this reality, threatened the Trump administration.

 

 

She said: “Donald Trump is aware that his claims regarding the select committee, which have been extensively detailed, including by Chairman Thompson, are absurd and false.” There is no constitutional or factual basis for the suggestion made by Donald Trump — that the Justice Department investigates the work of a Congressional committee. Any lawyer who pursues this course will be sanctioned.

 

I’m not exactly sure how that would work. Cheney seems to be suggesting that Congress sanction the DOJ to maintain separation of powers. I’m not sure that will ever happen, given the slim Republican majority. Maybe she’s implying that the legal establishment would step in to do her bidding. Cheney’s threats show his or her view of the rule of law. She may constantly complain about it, but she doesn’t believe it applies to her.

 

It is a pedantic exercise to focus on Trump’s “all evidence” when he spoke in generalities. The January 6th Committee did remove some evidence and also hide much more to color public perceptions of the situation. These are undisputed facts, regardless of how Cheney may try to confuse the issue.

 

Her threats are toothless. The Trump DOJ needs to investigate what happened in the January 6th Committee. It should investigate how much evidence has been destroyed or altered in an apparent abuse of authority and waste of taxpayers’ money. In November, people voted to achieve this. They did not vote for the status quo. They voted to change the status quo. Cheney can deal with it and is not happy about it.