A House oversight subcommittee released an interim report Tuesday alleging former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-M.T., committed illegal witness tampering during the January 6 investigation and called for an FBI investigation into her actions.
“Based on the evidence obtained by this Subcommittee, numerous federal laws were likely broken by Liz Cheney, the former Vice Chair of the January 6 Select Committee, and these violations should be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” stated the report from the House Administration Oversight Subcommittee, led by Chairman Barry Loudermilk, R-G.A.
The report claims Cheney secretly communicated with star witness Cassidy Hutchinson without her attorney’s knowledge, potentially violating federal witness tampering laws that carry up to 20 years in prison.
“Such action is outside the due functioning of the legislative process and therefore not protected by the Speech and Debate clause,” the report noted.
Additionally, the committee alleged Cheney encouraged false testimony, calling for investigation under statute 18 U.S.C. 1622, which prohibits procuring perjured testimony.
“Based on the evidence obtained by this Subcommittee, Hutchinson committed perjury when she lied under oath to the Select Committee,” the report stated.
The investigation also revealed possible “evidence of collusion” between Special Counsel Jack Smith and the Democrat-led January 6 committee. The report points to Smith’s October release of an unredacted witness transcript that neither the Select Committee nor White House had provided to Loudermilk’s subcommittee.
Other findings include the Select Committee’s failure to preserve over one terabyte of evidence, including witness interview videos, and previously unaired footage of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi acknowledging some responsibility for Capitol security failures.
In a letter to House colleagues, Loudermilk wrote that his review showed “Congress has ventured into the business of misleading Americans for political gain” and called for reform. “Transparency, accountability, and equal application of the law are the only solutions to return our nation to one that is free, safe and full of opportunity,” he stated.