Former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney criticized President-elect Trump for suggesting jail time for her and other members of the Jan. 6 Committee, calling it a “continuation of his assault on the rule of law.”
"Here is the truth: Donald Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election and seize power," Cheney stated in a response provided to Fox Digital. "He mobilized an angry mob and sent them to the United States Capitol. They attacked police officers, invaded the building, and halted the official counting of electoral votes. Trump watched on television as police officers were brutally beaten and the Capitol was assaulted, refusing for hours to tell the mob to leave."
Her comments came after Trump appeared on NBC’s "Meet the Press," accusing Cheney, committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, and others of destroying evidence related to the Jan. 6 investigation. He claimed they "should go to jail."
"Cheney did something that’s inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs," Trump said in the interview. "They deleted and destroyed all evidence." He continued, "For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail."
Cheney fired back, declaring that Jan. 6, 2021, "was the worst breach of our Constitution by any president in our nation’s history." She accused Trump of undermining democracy, saying, "His suggestion that members of Congress who later investigated his illegal and unconstitutional actions should be jailed is a continuation of his assault on the rule of law and the foundations of our republic."
The Jan. 6 committee was established in July 2021 to investigate the Capitol breach by Trump supporters. Its work began under Democratic control of the House.
The committee’s 18-month investigation concluded last year, just before Republicans regained control of the chamber. It recommended criminal charges against Trump for his role in the events leading up to the Capitol breach.
Composed of seven Democrats and two Republicans, the committee included Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Neither remains in office today.