Liz Cheney calls out Republican colleagues on ‘false’ election claims

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Tuesday night appealed directly to members of her own party, reiterating to the GOP there was no widespread 2020 election fraud as she voted to refer former White House strategist Stephen Bannon for prosecution by the Justice Department.

Cheney’s comments came during a Jan. 6 committee meeting to condemn Bannon after he failed to comply with a subpoena to appear before the panel.

But after breaking down the dangers of leaving Bannon’s moves unchecked, Cheney, the vice chairwoman of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, warned of the dangers of former President Trump’s continued false claims about the election.

“Let me add one further thought, principally for my Republican colleagues,” she said.

“Almost all of you know in your hearts that what happened on Jan. 6 was profoundly wrong. You know that there is no evidence of widespread election fraud sufficient to overturn the election; you know that the Dominion voting machines were not corrupted by a foreign power. You know those claims are false. Yet President Trump repeats them almost daily.”

Cheney went on to describe Trump’s calls for Republicans to boycott future elections as “a prescription for national self-destruction.”

Cheney is one of just two Republicans serving on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. 

The panel voted unanimously Tuesday to refer Bannon to the Justice Department, with the full House to consider the matter in a Thursday vote.