Cheney presses Republicans to back Bannon contempt vote

Source: The Hill | October 20, 2021 | Rebecca Beitsch

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) pressured her Republican colleagues to support a vote to refer former Trump White House strategist Steve Bannon for criminal prosecution, encouraging them to buck Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Cheney called on Republicans to back the contempt vote during an appearance at the House Rules Committee that sets the terms of debate for Thursday’s vote.

The Wyoming Republican, who was booted from House GOP leadership earlier this year for her repeated criticisms of Trump, put a guilt trip on her colleagues, saying they shouldn’t let fear of the former president prevent them from doing the right thing.

“I’ve heard from a number of my colleagues in the last several days, who say they quote ‘Just don’t want this target on their back.’ They’re just trying to keep their heads down, they don’t want to anger Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader who has been especially active in attempting to block the investigation of events of January 6, despite the fact that he clearly called for such a commission,” said Cheney, who voted to impeach Trump for his conduct on Jan. 6.

“A week after, I asked each one of you to step back from the brink. I urge you to do what you know is right to think of the long arc of history. We are told that it bends towards justice. But it does so only because of the actions of men and women in positions of public trust….Will you be able to say you did everything possible to ensure Americans got the truth about those events, or did you look away. Did you make partisan excuses and accept the unacceptable?”

Cheney is the vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, which on Tuesday voted to hold Bannon in contempt after he refused to provide documents or appear for a slated deposition.

Wednesday’s Rules Committee hearing further revealed the rift in the Republican Party, offering a preview of the pushback Republicans are likely to offer during the Thursday vote. 

House Rules Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-Okla.) called the vote part of “the House majority’s political agenda.”

“Unfortunately this resolution comes to us as a result of an inherently political process driven by an inherently political select committee. Today’s action is unusual to say the least. One of the fundamental questions we should all ask is, should Congress be investigating a private citizen?” he asked. 

Cole’s comments earned condemnation from Democrats and Cheney, who pointed to an initial proposal brokered with Republicans that would have created a 9/11-style commission to review Jan. 6.

“We have to be honest and recognize it was Republicans who killed that,” Cheney said.

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