Former GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming condemned this week the ongoing Republican capitulation to conspiracy theories tracing to former President Donald Trump.
She spoke this time in response to online commentary from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who was pushing the conspiracy theory — even if somewhat tentatively — there were secret feds propelling the violence on January 6, 2021. This theory has never been substantiated by the established factual record.
Lee was responding to a post that showed a still image from footage at the Capitol on January 6, which some on the far-right were suggesting/arguing showed an individual dressed as a Trump supporter flashing a badge. The item was actually a vaping device, but Lee was clearly supportive of the original conspiracy theory. “I can’t wait to ask FBI Director Christopher Wray about this at our next oversight hearing. I predict that, as always, his answers will be 97% information-free,” Lee said on X (the platform formerly called Twitter).
“You’re a lawyer, Mike. You’re capable of understanding the scores of J6 verdicts & rulings in our federal courts,” Cheney summarily replied. “You didn’t object to electors on J6 because you knew what Trump was doing was unconstitutional & you know what you’re doing now is wrong.”
Lee was even among the Republicans who originally opposed Trump’s capture of the GOP presidential nomination in 2016. (You know who else previously spoke out against Trump’s original rise? Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican now serving as Speaker of the House.) As for Lee, who won another term in last year’s elections, he provided some support to the election challenges waged by Trump World despite not going as far as actually voting against any of Biden’s electoral votes in Congress. In communications with Trump’s circles, Lee was big on the idea of state legislators supportively intervening. That idea never conclusively materialized.
You’re a lawyer, Mike. You’re capable of understanding the scores of J6 verdicts & rulings in our federal courts. E.g. https://t.co/wEDNB165Za. You didn’t object to electors on J6 because you knew what Trump was doing was unconstitutional & you know what you’re doing now is wrong https://t.co/uGibe7lapH
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) November 20, 2023
