‘Despicable and Disgraceful’: Cheney Slams McCarthy Over Jan. 6 Investigation, Says He Should Not Be House Speaker

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) tore into House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) in a press conference Wednesday, calling his handling of the proposed Jan. 6 investigation “despicable and disgraceful.”

Cheney’s presser came hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took what she referred to as an “unprecedented” step in blocking two Republicans nominated by McCarthy to join the bipartisan select committee to investigate the Capitol riot.

McCarthy responded to Pelosi blocking the two members of Congress — Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Jim Banks (R-IN) — by pulling all five Republicans he had nominated.

Cheney, who was nominated by Pelosi to serve on the committee, said she agreed with the move from the Democratic leader.

“January 6th was the worst attack on this Capitol since 1814. It was an attack on our Constitution,” Cheney said. She added that the two Republicans rejected by Pelosi included “one who may be a material witness to events that led to that day” and another “who disqualified himself by his comments… demonstration he’s not taking this seriously.”

The Wyoming Republican, who was one of few members of the GOP to vote for former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment, also slammed McCarthy for blocking the originally proposed bipartisan commission:

We supported what would have been the very best option, which was a bipartisan, independent commission. The minority leader opposed that. He lobbied against it in the Senate and the Senate blocked it. The American people deserve to know what happened. The people who did this must be held accountable. There must be an investigation that is nonpartisan, that is sober, that is serious, that gets to facts where ever they may lead. At every opportunity, the minority leader has attempted to prevent the American people from understanding what happened, to block this investigation.”

“This investigation must go forward,” she continued. “The idea that anybody would be playing politics with an attack on the United States Capitol is despicable and disgraceful.”

Cheney was asked if she thought McCarthy deserved to be speaker in 2022 if Republicans take back the House.

“I think that any person who would be third in line to the presidency must demonstrate a commitment to the Constitution and a commitment to the rule of law, and Minority Leader McCarthy has not done that,” Cheney replied.

Watch above, via CNN.

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