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House GOP Blames Liz Cheney and Defends Trump Over Jan. 6 Attack
As House Republicans close their investigation into the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, they are shifting the blame away from former President Donald Trump and targeting GOP Rep. Liz Cheney. According to the findings released on Tuesday, Republicans argue that Cheney should be prosecuted for her role in investigating the events surrounding the attack, where Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol during Congress’s certification of the 2020 election.
The 128-page interim report released by the House Administration Committee reflects the Republican Party’s continued efforts to support Trump and attack his perceived enemies. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the committee, stated, “Until we hold accountable those responsible and reform our institutions, we will not fully regain trust.”
This report comes as Trump gears up for a potential return to the White House, working to fill top positions in his administration, including a push for Kash Patel as FBI Director. Trump has also vowed to pardon individuals convicted for their involvement in the Capitol riot.
The report reiterates long-standing Republican arguments that Trump should not be held responsible for the Capitol attack. While over 1,500 individuals have been prosecuted, including leaders of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, Trump himself faces four criminal charges, including conspiracy to overturn the election. However, special counsel Jack Smith abandoned his case against Trump, adhering to Justice Department guidelines that prevent charging a sitting president.
The report singles out Cheney, once a rising GOP star and the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. After voting to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection, Cheney was ousted from GOP leadership and later lost her reelection bid to a Trump-backed challenger in Wyoming. By the fall of 2022, Cheney had become a vocal opponent of Trump, even campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris.
In response, Cheney defended the work of the January 6 committee, particularly its 900-page report released in December 2022. She argued that Loudermilk’s report “disregards the truth” and is an attempt to cover up Trump’s actions. Cheney criticized Trump for watching the violence unfold on television and failing to act for hours, allowing the attack to continue.
“January 6th showed Donald Trump for who he really is—a cruel and vindictive man who allowed violent attacks to continue,” Cheney said. She accused Loudermilk’s report of fabricating lies to deflect from Trump’s responsibility.
As tensions rise, President Joe Biden is considering issuing pardons to protect individuals from Trump’s political retribution. However, many involved in the January 6 attack have stated they do not want pardons. Trump has expressed a desire to prosecute various figures, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Cheney, and others involved in the investigation.
The timing of the GOP panel’s findings is notable, as Congress will soon be tasked with confirming the results of the 2024 election. Unlike in 2020, when many Republicans refused to accept Joe Biden’s victory, the Democratic Party now accepts the election results.
The House Republicans’ report revisits the security failures of January 6, particularly the delay in calling in the National Guard, which eventually helped restore order by nightfall. The report claims the Capitol is no safer today, and Loudermilk emphasizes that there was no single cause for the attack. He also criticizes the investigation led by former Speaker Pelosi and the leadership of Cheney and Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.).
The report specifically targets Cheney for her involvement with Cassidy Hutchinson, a key witness who testified about Trump’s actions during the riot. Hutchinson revealed that she initially withheld information but later came forward with damaging testimony. The GOP report claims Cheney’s actions amounted to witness tampering and suggests that she should face prosecution.
Thompson has dismissed the allegations as “baseless,” reaffirming that Trump is responsible for the attack. Despite the Republican push to rewrite history, Thompson insists, “There’s no escaping the reality that Donald Trump bears the responsibility for the deadly January 6th attack.”
Trump has continued his rhetoric, stating that those who investigated him should be jailed, further intensifying the political clash over the Capitol attack.
