Pressure Mounts for FBI Probe Into Liz Cheney’s Controversial Capitol Conduct

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Allegations of witness tampering against Liz Cheney have sparked calls for an FBI investigation, with serious implications for her political career and the January 6 Capitol inquiry.

At a Glance

  • House Republican-led panel seeks federal investigation of Liz Cheney for witness tampering.
  • Cheney’s communications with Cassidy Hutchinson before her testimony prompt legal scrutiny.
  • The Subcommittee on Oversight has issued an interim report to the Justice Department urging action.
  • Cheney denies allegations, claiming fabrication and defamation by the panel.

The Proposed Investigation

A Republican-led House Administration Oversight Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Barry Loudermilk has urged the FBI to conduct a federal criminal investigation into former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney. The call to action arises from allegations of “criminal witness tampering” involving Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide to Donald Trump. Allegations suggest Cheney’s actions might violate federal law, according to the report. Such tampering, if true, would threaten the integrity of the investigation into the January 6 Capitol breach.

The report accuses Cheney of secret communications with Hutchinson through the encrypted Signal app prior to Hutchinson’s testimony in June 2022. These interactions reportedly occurred without the knowledge of Hutchinson’s attorney, a potential violation of 18 U.S.C. 1512, which protects against tampering with witnesses, victims, and informants and 18 U.S.C. 1622, which prohibits any person from procuring another person to commit perjury. As articulated by 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.”

Committee and Legal Claims

The report urges the Justice Department to investigate further. The claims against Cheney state that her communications with Hutchinson during the investigation were beyond the legislative purpose and may have involved illegal collusion, potentially constituting perjury. Witness testimonies such as Hutchinson’s have come into question, accompanied by Cheney’s alleged encouragement of false testimony revolving around former President Trump’s actions on the reputed day.

“Based on the evidence obtained by this Subcommittee, numerous federal laws were likely broken by Liz Cheney, the former Vice Chair of the January 6 Select Committee, and these violations should be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” charges the report.

While the subcommittee asserts grave breaches of federal law, Cheney vehemently denies all allegations. She accuses the panel of disseminating lies and engaging in defamatory actions. Additionally, former committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson supports Cheney, discounting the allegations as “baseless” and reiterating the responsibility borne by Trump for the January 6 attack.

Political Implications and Next Steps

The report by Loudermilk’s subcommittee suggests Cheney’s alleged actions could have profound consequences on ongoing legal proceedings. A preemptive pardon as a defense measure remains a controversial topic in President Biden’s circle. Despite the subcommittee’s recommendations, the weight they carry is uncertain.

This request for investigation contributes to an ongoing push for government transparency and accountability into the events and investigations of January 6 events.. Only time will demonstrate whether this inquiry invites further scrutiny or fortifies Cheney’s standing in legislative history.

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