Cheney urges court to hold Jan. 6 trial before election: 'He knows how damaging that will be'
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said it was critical that former President Trump’s federal election interference case goes to trial before voters select their next president in November as she called on the Supreme Court to recognize Trump’s appeal as a delay tactic.
“It cannot be the case that a president of the United States can attempt to overturn an election and seize power and that our justice system is incapable of holding a trial, of holding him to account, before the next election,” Cheney said at a Wednesday event at Drake University in Iowa. “That cannot be the case.”
Trump’s legal team has sought delays in each of his four criminal cases, citing various factors, ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
His federal election interference case — which some critics see as the most important to resolve before November — is on hold until the Supreme Court rules on Trump's claim that he should be immune from criminal prosecution for all actions taken while in office. The Supreme Court will hear the case April 25.
Cheney — who served as vice chair of the House committee that investigated Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 loss — said Trump, despite his claims otherwise, has all the evidence from the special counsel investigation that resulted in the federal indictment against him, and he has all the evidence from the Jan. 6 select committee.
Cheney said she suspects Trump "knows how damaging" the evidence is and, therefore, is trying to delay the trial.
“If you look at what Donald Trump is doing now, and if you look at the extensive effort that he has undertaken to prevent the Jan. 6 trial from going forward before his election, the reason he's doing that is because he knows, first of all, he has … all of that evidence,” Cheney said, referring to evidence from the House committee, the special counsel and grand jury, including transcripts of testimony from members of his administration.
“And so, Donald Trump knows what the most senior members of his administration — his vice president, his attorney general, his acting attorney general, his acting secretary of defense — he knows what all of those people said to the grand jury, and he knows how damaging that will be to him,” Cheney added, in remarks first highlighted by Mediaite.
On Trump’s presidential immunity claim, Cheney cautioned the Supreme Court to “recognize that what he’s doing is a delaying tactic” and said that allowing for further delays is “itself, suppression of evidence.”
“The Supreme Court, you know, I trust that they will deal in a responsible and expeditious fashion with this appeal,” Cheney said, “but recognize that taking action that will result in further delay in preventing the American people from seeing that evidence in open court, is itself suppression of the evidence, that the American people have a right to see that evidence. And the court ought to recognize that.”
A spokesperson for Trump's campaign, Steven Cheung, fired back at Cheney in an emailed statement, writing, "Of course Shotgun Liz would advocate for weaponizing the justice system to meddle in an election. She clearly suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome."
Date: |
Filter
-
Biden says he's "happy to debate" Trump before 2024 election
"I am happy to debate him," President Biden said during an interview with Howard Stern.CBS News - Top stories - Joe Biden -
Biden says he's "happy to debate" Trump before 2024 election
"I am happy to debate him," President Biden said during an interview with Howard Stern.CBS News - Politics - Joe Biden -
Former Capitol officer on Trump support of Jan. 6 rioters: ‘He’s a sick individual’
Michael Fanone, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer, called out former President Trump for continuing to call jailed rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 hostages and saying he would pardon them if reelected. “Donald Trump is sick. He’s a ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
Aaron Sorkin says he blames Facebook for Jan. 6, has movie in the works
Writer and director Aaron Sorkin revealed during a live interview Thursday in Washington that he blames Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Sorkin, who created the film "The Social Network," which ...The Hill - Politics - Facebook -
A historic day at the Supreme Court: 6 things to know about Trump’s immunity argument
The Supreme Court seemed poised Thursday to grant former President Trump at least some protections from criminal prosecution after hearing two hours of arguments from his lawyers and prosecutors. Here are six things to know a historic day at the ...The Hill - Politics -
How a Supreme Court Immunity Ruling Could Affect Trump’s Election Case
In arguments on Thursday, the justices appeared to signal two ways they could help Donald Trump as he fights charges that he plotted to overturn the 2020 election.The New York Times - Top stories - Donald Trump -
How will Gaza protests, Trump trial impact 2024 election? Political strategists weigh in
Democratic strategist Joel Payne and Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez join CBS News to discuss how the protests over the Israel-Hamas war that are sweeping across college campuses could create challenges for President Biden's reelection ...CBS News - Top stories - Donald Trump -
MEPs urged to fight far right as they head home to campaign for European elections
European parliament term ends with warnings about dangers of disinformation and authoritarian forces. The starting gun has been fired on the next European parliamentary elections with more than 600 MEPs departing Strasbourg urged to use their ...The Guardian - World -
Alvin Bragg Wants the 2016 Election on Trial
Prosecutors are trying to spin a bookkeeping charge as a vast Trump election conspiracy.The Wall Street Journal - World -
Former Republican mayoral candidate gets 10 days in prison in Jan. 6 case
A former Republican candidate who lost his race for mayor in Connecticut last year was sentenced Wednesday to 10 days of incarceration for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S.NBC News - Politics
More from The Hill
-
Trump slams RFK Jr. in latest social media rant: 'Wasted protest vote'
Former President Trump came out swinging against independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Friday, despite weeks of amping him up over his likely November rival, President Biden. In a series of post on Truth Social, Trump suggested ...The Hill - Politics - Donald Trump -
RFK Jr. threatens to challenge TikTok ban: It's just a 'smoke screen'
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. threatened to challenge a potential TikTok ban Friday, as efforts to block the video app in the U.S. came closer to reality earlier this week. “I’m going to file a lawsuit challenging the ...The Hill - Politics - Tiktok -
White House rips 'dangerous, appalling statements' from Columbia protest leader
The White House heavily criticized comments that resurfaced this week from a student leader of the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University. “These dangerous, appalling statements turn the stomach and should serve as a wakeup call. It is ...The Hill - Politics -
Freight train derails, catches fire near New Mexico-Arizona border causing road closures
A freight train detailed and caught fire, resulting in the closure of a nearby interstate, the Arizona Department of Transportation announced on Friday. "I-40 EB is closed at milepost 357 due to a train derailment in New Mexico," the Arizona DOT ...The Hill - Politics -
Paramedic sentenced to 4 years of probation for Elijah McClain's death
A Colorado paramedic has been sentenced to four years of probation for his role in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain. Jeremy Cooper, a former Aurora Fire Rescue paramedic, was convicted on Dec. 22 of criminally negligent homicide. He was the last ...The Hill - Politics