SOUTH BEND, Ind. — After what was likely the final public hearing for the January 6th committee last week, committee member Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) spoke about the committee’s investigation at the University of Notre Dame Friday.
Cheney is one of two Republican members of Congress who sit on the committee. She has been outspoken against those who rioted at the Capitol in the days after the 2020 election.
“Now, what happened on January 6th is unjustifiable,” Cheney said to the gathering at Notre Dame’s Washington Hall. “We have to make sure that our nation does not only punish the foot soldiers who stormed our Capitol. Those who planned to overturn our election, those who brought us to the point of violence must also be held accountable.”
In this case, she points the finger at former President Donald Trump. She doubled down on her accusation against Trump that he is the one who incited the violence that happened that day.
“He knew there was violence,” she said. “He knew the tweet would incite further violence and indeed five minutes later there was a line of metropolitan police officers on the west front of the Capitol. That line broke because thousands surged forward.”
She said Trump did not honor the “peaceful transition of power” that had been honored by the presidents before him.
As a Republican, her outspokenness against the former president likely cost her her seat in Congress. Cheney was voted out in her primary election in Wyoming earlier this year.
