Liz Cheney says Trump will not be allowed to make January 6 deposition a ‘circus’

Outgoing Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney vowed Sunday not to let Donald Trump turn his planned statement before the Jan. 6 commission into a “circus” — and strongly indicated that they would not let him testify on live television.

However, she doesn’t rule it out completely.

The commission, which she helps lead as vice chair, formally subpoenaed the former president Friday with a 10-page letter describing their “overwhelming evidence” that he “personally orchestrated and oversaw a multi-part effort to undo the 2020 presidential election.” to make’.

Trump is due to appear before the committee on November 14 at 10 a.m.

Speaking to NBC News’ Meet The Press on Sunday, Cheney suggested that Trump may have committed “multiple offenses” that the panel is investigating.

“We expect the former president to understand his legal obligation and comply with the subpoena,” Cheney said.

“We made a number of things clear in the subpoena, including that if he intends to take the Fifth, he must notify us in advance.”

Trump reportedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right to self-incrimination more than 400 times in a statement earlier this year, for an unrelated investigation into his business practices by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

But contrary to previous court orders, Trump is reportedly inclined not to delay the nomination until Jan. 6 investigators.

Instead, he tells aides he will testify — if it’s on live TV, such as the series of eight hearings the committee held this summer, according to the New York Times.

Host Chuck Todd asked Cheney, “Is the committee open to his alleged offer, or at least behind the scenes, to be on live television?”

‘The committee is therefore taking this matter very seriously. And we will continue to question the former president under oath,” the conservative replied.

She added that Trump’s sit-down could last “several days.”

And it will be done with a level of rigor, discipline and seriousness it deserves. We won’t allow… he’s not going to make a circus out of it,” Cheney said.

“This isn’t going to be, you know, his first debate against Joe Biden and the circus and the food fight that became. This is a far too serious set of problems.

“And we’ve made it clear what his obligations are. And that’s what we’re going to work on.’

But Cheney was reluctant to explain what she thinks the Justice Department might charge Trump.

‘Look, I think there are several criminal offences. I don’t want to come before the committee, but we are looking at that,” she said.

In addition to his sit-down testimony, the commission is also looking for key data and communications from Trump dated Nov. 3, 2020, and the day of the Capitol attack.

The commission’s letter suggests that Trump used the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss ways to raise money for his allegations of electoral fraud and contesting vote counts in key states.

Trump must hand over all relevant documents by November 4.

In her own Sunday news interview, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi taunted Trump about his impending impeachment.

“I don’t think he’s man enough to show up,” the California Democrat told MSNBC’s The Sunday Show.