Liz Cheney: Smith report raises question for Trump DOJ nominees
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) raised questions Tuesday about President-elect Trump's choices to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) amid fallout from special counsel Jack Smith's report about the former president's involvement in the 2021 Capitol insurrection.
“DOJ’s exhaustive and independent investigation reached the same essential conclusions as the Select Committee. All this DOJ evidence must be preserved,” Cheney wrote Tuesday in a post on the social platform X.
“But most important now, as the Senate considers confirming Trump’s Justice Department nominees: if those nominees cooperated with Trump’s deceit to overturn the 2020 election, they cannot now be entrusted with the responsibility to preserve the rule of law and protect our Republic,” she wrote.
Cheney, who served on the House Jan. 6 committee while in office, was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal for her investigation into Trump's actions during the Capitol insurrection. She has been a fierce critic of the former president and his allies over the years.
“As our framers knew, our institutions only hold when those in office are not compromised by personal loyalty to a tyrant. So this question is now paramount for Republicans: Will you faithfully perform the duties the framers assigned to you and do what the Constitution requires? Or do you lack the courage?” she concluded in her post.
Trump tapped Pam Bondi to serve as his attorney general. She was a senior adviser on Trump's first impeachment defense team.
Cheney isn’t the only official calling for the preservation of the report. Sen. Dick Durban (D-Ill.) urged leaders to take the necessary steps to retain the 174-page document, calling out comments made by incoming Trump officials.
“The President-elect’s intended nominee for Attorney General, Pam Bondi, has promised to weaponize the Department of Justice against those who were involved in these investigations, threatening: ‘When Republicans take back the White House… [t]he Department of Justice, the prosecutors will be prosecuted—the bad ones. The investigators will be investigated.’ In light of these threats, it is critical that the Department take immediate preservation steps related to these investigations and prosecutions,” Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote.
Trump fumed about the release of the report on social media Tuesday morning, labeling Smith a “lamebrain” prosecutor amid a string of other insults directed at Democrats.
“Jack is a lamebrain prosecutor who was unable to get his case tried before the Election, which I won in a landslide. THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN,” he wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.
Topics
-
Special counsel Jack Smith resigns from DOJ as Trump's fight to block final report continues
Special counsel Jack Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to criminally investigate Donald Trump.CNBC - 3d -
Jack Smith resigns from DOJ amid fight over Trump reports
Special Counsel Jack Smith formally resigned from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, a detail buried in a court filing as DOJ pushes to release his final report on his investigation into ...The Hill - 3d -
Warren questions Trump IRS nominee's experience, promotion of tax credit
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) voiced concerns about President-elect Trump’s nominee to lead the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Wednesday, pressing him for answers about his previous experience ...The Hill - 5d -
DoJ to release part of report on Trump’s attempt to overturn 2020 election
Justice department intends to release special counsel Jack Smith’s findings from investigation. Attorney general Merrick Garland intends to release the first part of the highly-anticipated special ...The Guardian - 6d -
Special counsel's Trump report should be partially released, DOJ says
The Justice Department told a federal appeals court that the portion of special counsel Jack Smith's report on his investigation involving the 2020 election should be released to the public.CBS News - 6d -
Political warfare: Why the House accusations against Liz Cheney are baseless and wrong
The accusations of professional misconduct against Liz Cheney are frankly ludicrous.The Hill - 6d -
Will Trump be able to block the release of Jack Smith’s report
President-elect Donald Trump is looking to block the release of a final report by special counsel Jack Smith in the Florida classified documents case. NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard and Danny Cevallos ...NBC News - Jan. 7 -
Biden awards Presidential Citizens Medals to 20 recipients, including Liz Cheney
According to the White House press release, this award is given to Americans who "have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens."ABC News - Jan. 2 -
Liz Cheney Is Among 20 Chosen to Receive Presidential Citizens Medal
Two close advisers to President Biden will also be honored, in addition to career lawmakers who have worked across the aisle and advocates for liberal causes.The New York Times - Jan. 2 -
Biden to award Liz Cheney and others with Presidential Citizens Medal
President Biden on Thursday will award the Presidential Citizens Medal to 20 individuals at the White House, including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who has been an outspoken critic of ...The Hill - Jan. 2
More from The Hill
-
Senate Banking Republicans eye changes to key insurance program after fires
Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee are in the early stages of crafting legislation that could include changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and help victims of other ...The Hill - 23m -
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faces mounting backlash over wildfire response
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) is facing mounting backlash over her response to the wildfires that have torn through her city, raising questions about her own political future as the region ...The Hill - 37m -
SEC sues Musk, alleging Twitter-related securities violation
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sued tech billionaire Elon Musk, alleging he committed securities fraud by failing to disclose his ownership of Twitter. According to the SEC ...The Hill - 47m -
Kristi Noem confirmation hearing for DHS secretary postponed
The confirmation hearing for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was postponed by two days. Noem will appear before ...The Hill - 54m -
Crockett, Mace get into heated exchange over trans rights: 'If you want to take it outside'
Reps. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) got into a heated exchange during a Tuesday Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing and discussion about civil rights and transgender ...The Hill - 1h
More in Politics
-
Senate Banking Republicans eye changes to key insurance program after fires
Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee are in the early stages of crafting legislation that could include changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and help victims of other ...The Hill - 23m -
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faces mounting backlash over wildfire response
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) is facing mounting backlash over her response to the wildfires that have torn through her city, raising questions about her own political future as the region ...The Hill - 37m -
SEC sues Musk, alleging Twitter-related securities violation
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sued tech billionaire Elon Musk, alleging he committed securities fraud by failing to disclose his ownership of Twitter. According to the SEC ...The Hill - 47m -
Hegseth defends tattoos with alleged connection to extremist groups in confirmation hearing
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, answered questions about misconduct allegations and views on women at his Senate confirmation hearing. Hegseth defended his ...NBC News - 49m -
Special counsel's final report says Trump would have been convicted
The fast-moving legal battle over the release of special counsel Jack Smith's final report played out days before Trump's second-term inauguration.CBS News - 54m