Liz Cheney, the top Republican on the House committee investigating the attack on Capitol, is her role in historic hearings that start Thursday night. This will have an impact on her political future.
Although some members of her party initially criticized Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6 siege they soon reversed their position. Cheney’s decision not to criticize Trump in public made her an outsider in the party she loves.
Cheney was the third-highest ranking House Republican when protestors broke into the Capitol on January 6.
Jamie Raskin, Maryland Democratic Rep., is a former professor of constitutional law. He was preparing remarks to certify 2020 election results.
Raskin said that she was the first person to whom I texted a photo of insurrectionists entering the building with a Confederate battle banner. Raskin shared the story with NPR.
Members from both parties were kept in a secure place for hours, trying to decide what to do next and if it was safe to convene again. Raskin stated that Cheney was appointed chair of the House Democratic Caucus at that time.
Raskin stated, “She got up with Hakeem Jeffreyries in the safe, where we all huddled to say that she was determined we count the votes.”
She was a well-respected political figure and had a successful career before she joined the House. When her father was George W. Bush’s running-mate in 2000, she worked for Dick Cheney’s campaign.
Later, she was a top aide to the State Department under the Bush administration. She focused on democracy in the Middle East.
Barbara Comstock, a former Virginia Rep., met Cheney while they worked together on the 2000 campaign. She also served as a House member when Cheney headed the GOP conference. She stated that Cheney’s experience at the State Department influences her approach to Jan. 6’s committee work.
Comstock stated that she believes that Comstock views it from the perspective of, “You know, we are an authority on democracy in the world and the importance for us to take this very seriously.”
Comstock, who is a vocal critic against Trump’s, stated that Cheney’s experiences in a political family that dealt with high-profile controversies was a part of his experience.
Comstock stated that she saw her mother and father… be attacked a lot of times for doing the right thing.
Comstock said that while it is not enjoyable to do this, she also believes that political capital, Maggie Thatcher once used to say, can sometimes be spent.
Cheney’s voting record is solidly conservative in the House. 93% of her votes were for Trump’s agenda.
California Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren was a fellow lawyer and member on the Jan. 6 Committee. Before they began working together on the investigation, Cheney didn’t know her.
“She is very, very conservative and I am not. Lofgren explained to NPR that there are many issues on which we disagree. “Having said all that, I have been impressed by her dedication to truth, intellectual honesty, and her skills as a lawyer.”
Cheney was against the impeachment in 2019 of President Trump, but she shocked her conference by joining 9 other House Republicans to support his second impeachment.
Her decision to continue speaking out against Trump prompted her former president’s loyalists to remove her from her leadership post. Cheney argued that her position was consistent with the party’s principles on the House floor, just hours before she was ousted.
She stated, “I am a conservative Republican and the most conservative conservative principle is reverence for the rule of law.”
Cheney’s decision to isolate her has caused it to be isolated. Raskin claimed he was there with her when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R- Ga.) approached her and said that she was a “traitor.” Raskin didn’t agree with Cheney’s reaction, but said it was “not flattering” about Greene.
Lofgren also agrees with Cheney that the backlash has not affected him.
“She doesn’t complain. She’s not a fool, you know. She is aware of what she is getting herself into and did the right thing. Lofgren stated that she gives credit to her for this.
Raskin and Cheney became close friends over their shared legal histories. He wrote a book critiquing the Supreme Court’s legal reasoning in deciding the 2000 election. Cheney was reportedly irritated by his thesis.
“She teased at me about that. “She teased me about that the first time we met. Raskin recalled that I told him, “It’s nothing personal, but that I believe that that decision was fraudulent.”
He claims their shared ability to laugh about differences in political backgrounds made them good friends. I replied, “Liz, I have one of those in mine too!” She started to crack up.
The former president visited Wyoming last month to hold a rally alongside Harriet Hageman, Cheney’s primary GOP opponent.
He told his supporters that there was no Republican In Name Only [Republican in Name Only] in America who has supported the radical left more than Liz Cheney.
Cheney’s video announcement for another term didn’t mention Trump, but she made it part of her campaign message to stand against him.
Cheney stated, “When I am certain that something is wrong, it will be said so.” “I will not budge or retreat. “I will not give in to intimidation or pressure.”
Trump won Wyoming with a higher percentage than any other state in 2020. Most people expect that Cheney’s backlash at home will make it difficult for her to overcome Hageman as her primary challenger in August.
Comstock believes that she can win reelection while continuing to make an impact in the Republican Party.
I believe there are many opportunities for her. Comstock stated that she believes her future is bright no matter what direction she chooses. “But I’m especially pleased that she is willing to use the slings & arrows to do the right thing and set the record straight,” Comstock said.
Cheney’s party may regain control of the House during the midterms. She is unlikely to be a voice of reason in a party that is loyal to the former president even if she wins another term.
