WASHINGTON – Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, said Sunday, that it’s possible that there could be multiple criminal referrals against former President Donald Trump in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
She told ABC News’ “This Week” that while the Jan. 6 committee will decide whether Trump should face charges, the Justice Department could make a criminal referral without waiting for the committee, adding that there “could be more than one criminal referral.”
Cheney said she was more worried about not holding people accountable than about what it means for a country for a former president to be prosecuted.
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“I think it’s a much graver constitutional threat if a president can engage in these kinds of activities and, you know, the majority of the president’s party looks away or we as a country decide, you know, we’re not actually going to take our constitutional obligations seriously. I think that’s a much – a much more serious threat,” she said.
Cheney’s comments come days after former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson gave shocking testimony during Tuesday’s hearing. Hutchinson said Trump knew some in the crowd at his “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, was armed, and he directed that armed mob to the U.S. Capitol.
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Hutchinson prompted more witnesses
Cheney applauded Hutchinson for coming forward and testifying.
“What Cassidy Hutchinson did was an unbelievable example of bravery and of courage and patriotism in the face of real pressure,” she said.
When asked about critics saying that Hutchinson was not telling the truth, Cheney said that “the committee is not going to stand by and watch her character be assassinated by anonymous sources and by men who are claiming executive privilege.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., another member of the January 6 committee, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday that more witnesses have come forward following Hutchinson’s testimony.
Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren, of California also a member of the committee, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday that she “expected Trump would try to discredit” Hutchinson, as she gave her testimony.
“She has nothing to gain by stepping forward and telling the truth. And Trump world has everything to lose by the truth,” Lofgren said.
More:Jan. 6 committee hearing schedule: Here’s when to expect next hearings on the Capitol riot
When is the next Jan. 6 hearing?
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the next hearing will be focused “on the efforts to assemble that mob on the Mall, who was participating, who was financing it, how it was organized, including the participation of these white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys, the Three Percenters and others.”
The next committee hearing has not been announced.
Contributing: Joey Garrison, Candy Woodall
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