.png)
Screenshot/YouTube
A Republican House panel is now calling for a federal criminal investigation of former Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
Cheney served as vice chairman of the House select committee that investigated the Capitol riot that occurred on January 6, 2021.
This new accusation against Cheney? Witness tampering.
The New York Post reports, "Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Cassidy Hutchinson, a first-term White House aide to then-President Donald Trump, communicated via the encrypted Signal app before her explosive and later largely debunked public testimony in June 2022, according to documents previously released by House Republicans."
"Citing those communications, the Committee on House Administration’s Subcommittee on Oversight on Tuesday issued an interim report calling for the Justice Department to investigate Cheney as Trump prepares to retake the White House," the Post noted.
Chairman of the Oversight Committee, Republican Congressman Barry Loudermilk said in the report “Evidence uncovered by the Subcommittee revealed that former Congresswoman Liz Cheney tampered with at least one witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, by secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge."
He added, “This secret communication with a witness is improper and likely violates 18 U.S.C. 1512. Such action is outside the due functioning of the legislative process and therefore not protected by the Speech and Debate clause.”
In October, communications that were made public revealed that Cheney and Hutchinson used the Signal app - an app used by many in politics and journalism due to its encryption method - to swap messages to arrange calls.
The content of calls is unknown. But as the Post reported, "One message showed Hutchinson providing Cheney with a screenshot of her then-attorney Stefan Passantino suggesting she not cooperate with the panel that investigated Trump’s role in the mob attack by his supporters challenging the 2020 election results. Hutchinson had been in the midst of six transcribed interviews with the select committee and her communication with Cheney on June 6, 2022, preceded her dramatic public testimony 22 days later."
"Much of what Hutchinson testified publicly later was called into question by other witnesses — most notably her testimony that she was told that Trump was so enraged when Secret Service agents refused to take his motorcade to the Capitol on the day of the attack that he 'lunged' for the steering wheel," the story read.
Remember when that claim was made about Trump lunging for the steering wheel? The actual driver later said that it was not true.
So was Hutchinson making things up to paint Trump in a bad light, with as assist from Liz Cheney?
We don't know that. That's what investigations are for.
But we do know enough that there should be an investigation.
Loudermilk said in a press release, “Cassidy Hutchinson’s most outrageous claims lacked any evidence, and the Select Committee had knowledge that her claims were false when they publicly promoted her."
“President Trump did not attack his Secret Service Detail at any time on January 6," the congressman added. "President Trump did not have intelligence indicating violence on the morning of January 6. Cassidy Hutchinson falsely claimed to have drafted a handwritten note for President Trump on January 6."
“Former Representative Liz Cheney should be investigated for potential criminal witness tampering based on the new information about her communication," Loudermilk insisted.
Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans like Cheney worked overtime to portray January 6 as an actual "insurrection" that would overthrow the U.S. government, wanting to make Donald Trump and his supporters look as bad as possible.
Were some willing to lie to do this? And did Liz Cheney help them?
Hopefully, time will tell.