Republican Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett sparred with CNN host Jim Acosta Wednesday over the possibility of the House opening a criminal investigation into former Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney.
House Administration Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Barry Loudermilk released an interim report accusing Cheney of having âcolludedâ with Cassidy Hutchinson, a former witness for the January 6 Select Committee, by âsecretly communicatingâ with her without the knowledge of her attorney and helping her attain new counsel. As Republicans and President-elect Donald Trump are calling on Cheney to be investigated, Burchett told Acosta that the former Wyoming congresswoman should be prosecuted if she had broken the law.
âYou donât think Liz Cheney broke the law, do you?â Acosta asked.
âIf she manipulated this thing, if she met with people, if she coached them as theyâre saying, if she talked to them on a secret website which theyâre saying she did, if she coached them, if she altered evidence, if she withheld evidence, then she broke the law,â Burchett replied.
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Trump stated in a Wednesday Truth Social post that Cheney âcould be in a lot of troubleâ over the alleged evidence found by the subcommittee. Acosta suggested that House Republicans are simply âdoing biddingâ by alleging that she had engaged in criminal conduct and could be investigated.
âBut congressman, whatâs the evidence of that? A report came out just days after Donald Trump and other members of the subcommittee said Liz Cheney should go to jail. Arenât they just doing his bidding?â Acosta asked.
âWhatâs the evidence that Matt Gaetz has besides a report?â Burchett said. âYouâve got a report, itâs the same thing. Thatâs why people do not trust the media, youâve got a double standard for one and not for the other. IF she didnât break the law, then sheâs fine. But if she did break the law, then she should be held accountable. Whatâs wrong with them asking questions?â
Acosta continued to argue there is âno evidenceâ that Cheney broke the law and suggested that House Republicans are attempting to use the government to target Trumpâs political opponents. Burchett said Loudermilkâs findings should âbe brought to lightâ and investigated to ensure that Cheney did not break the law.
Burchett pointed out the alleged âtwo systems of justiceâ in the current legal system and said a possible criminal investigation into Cheney is about justice rather than revenge.
âWhen we point the finger at somebody whoâs not kind to us, you all automatically assume itâs political. If itâs political, then why not play it out into the court of public opinion. You sure had it played out on January 6 and you never called anybody in, it was all a political witch-hunt,â Burchett continued.
Hutchinson became a star witness on the Jan. 6 committee, where she notably testified that Trump cursed at his security guards after being told they could not go to the Capitol, grabbed the steering wheel from the backseat and reached for the âclaviclesâ of Bobby Engel, Trumpâs head of security. This testimony has never been confirmed, and sources close to the Secret Service have denied her claims.
Loudermilk spearheaded a letter to Hutchinson in January demanding that she provide all records and materials in her possession related to the events of January 6.
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