Democrats outnumber Republicans 7-2 on the House committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot, but it's one of the panel's two GOP members that former President Donald Trump views as his greatest threat.
Trump recently said that lawmakers and others with knowledge of the probe have told him that Representative Liz Cheney has been the most adamant about going after the former president during the probe.
"From what people tell me, from what I hear from other congressmen, she's like a crazed lunatic, she's worse than anyone else," Trump told The Washington Post. "From what I've heard, she's worse than any Democrat."
Trump even considers Cheney a more formidable opponent than committee member Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat who led the prosecution in Trump's first impeachment trial.
Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, has reportedly led the charge against Trump, urging the committee to focus on the former president during next month's public hearings. Other members, meanwhile, have wanted to look into the security failures that allowed a mob of Trump supporters to storm the Capitol building in January 2021.
"We need to look at this issue from all angles—inclusive of the role the president played as well as the security of the Capitol on that day," Democratic Representative Stephanie Murphy told the Post.
Committee investigators are still conducting witness interviews. Last week, the panel subpoenaed five House Republicans, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, after they refused to voluntarily testify before the panel.
McCarthy was initially allowed to appoint five Republicans to the committee, but after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected two of his recommendations, the GOP leader withdrew all of his selections.
Cheney and Representative Adam Kinzinger, who were both appointed by Pelosi, make up the Republican minority on the panel.
Cheney, a longtime Trump critic, has become one of Trump's favorite targets ever since she broke with her party's leadership and joined nine other Republicans in voting for his second impeachment. Several months after the vote, Cheney was ousted as the No. 3 House Republican.
Her feuding with Trump will make her reelection campaign particularly challenging. This year, Cheney is up against a number of pro-Trump candidates in a tough primary race to represent Wyoming's at-large district.
Trump has endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman, even though she hasn't always supported the former president. He is scheduled to stump for Hageman at a rally in Casper, Wyoming, this Saturday.
McCarthy has also joined Trump in backing Hageman in August 16's primary.
Newsweek reached out to Cheney for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Katherine Fung is a Newsweek reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. and world politics. ... Read more
