Liz Cheney schools Trump over false claim Jan 6 committee evidence was destroyed

Final report and supporting materials are all available online

Liz Cheney has responded to Donald Trump’s repeated false claims that she destroyed most of the evidence from the House select committee investigating the events leading up to the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021.

The former president alleges this was done to stop him from preparing a defence case for his upcoming federal election interference trial for the charges brought against him by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

That trial is still scheduled to begin on 4 March 2024 in Washington DC. Mr Trump continues to claim his actions are covered by presidential immunity and arguments will be heard on 9 January regarding that.

The former president made his most recent claim on the evening of 1 January, writing on Truth Social: “Why did American Disaster Liz Cheney, who suffers from TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome), and was defeated for Congress by the largest margin for a sitting Congressman or Congresswoman in the history of our Country, ILLEGALLY DELETE & DESTROY most of the evidence, and related items, from the January 6th Committee of Political Thugs and Misfits.”

He continued, in his characteristic shouty, all-caps style: “THIS ACT OF EXTREME SABOTAGE MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY LAWYERS TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR, AND PRESENT, A PROPER DEFENSE OF THEIR CLIENT, ME.”

Further, he wrote: “All of the information on Crazy Nancy Pelosi turning down 10,000 soldiers that I offered to to guard the Capitol Building, and beyond, is gone. The ridiculous Deranged Jack Smith case on Immunity, which the most respected legal minds in the Country say I am fully entitled to, is now completely compromised and should be thrown out and terminated, JUST LIKE THE RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS DID TO THE EVIDENCE!”

Ms Cheney, perhaps one of Mr Trump’s fiercest critics in the Republican Party, responded on Tuesday morning (2 January), noting that the committee’s full 800+-page final report and all of its supporting materials are available online for anyone who wants them.

She wrote on X: “Seems like someone is starting 2024 hangry. @realDonaldTrump - you and your lawyers have had the J6 cmttee materials (linked below) plus the grand jury info & much more for months. Lying about the evidence in all caps won’t change the facts. A public trial will show it all.”

Ms Cheney quote-tweeted a post from August 2023, which further said: “No surprise Trump doesn’t want you to see the J6 Committee evidence. Here’s the GPO website with transcripts, documents, exhibits & our meticulously sourced 800+ page final report. Also links to our hearings. Might be a good time to watch those again.”

The former lawmaker from Wyoming was one of two Republicans who participated in the January 6 committee, alongside former rep Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.