Liz Cheney tweeted: “This is what it looks like when the rule of law unravels.” The representative from Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger from Illinois are the only two Republicans who are a part of the committee that is looking into the horrific January 6, riot. Earlier, in a bizarre threat, veteran GOP, former speaker and pro-Trump Newt Gingrich said that he thought that the January 6 committee members were “going to face a real risk of going to jail.”
Liz Cheney has been a critic of Donald Trump’s policies despite her strong conservative views and being a member of the GOP. She is the vice-chair of the select committee that is investigating the violence on January 6.
Her entire tweet stated: “A former speaker of the House is threatening jail time for members of Congress who are investigating the violent January 6 attack on our Capitol and our Constitution. This is what it looks like when the rule of law unravels.”
Adam Kinzinger’s reply to Newt Gingrich’s threat was a tweet of a GIF that showed late Chris Farley, a popular American actor and comedian, driving a bus full of children. The image was from the 1995 film “Billy Madison.”
A report in POLITICO wonders how jail time could be possible as Congress does not have the power to jail people. There is an “inherent contempt” power. This has not been used for over a century. It is reserved for the purpose of enforcing subpoenas. The outlet observed that Newt Gingrich’s remarks might have been made to intimidate and an attempt to threaten showed that the committee and its potential findings was troubling the GOP.
The January 6 insurrection is being looked into by a Congress committee. They have recently got a favorable court order to examine archives from the Trump administration on what might have led to the horrible riot, which was not only a blot on America but also led to criticism on the concept of democracy which was gleefully pointed out by leaders of authoritarian regimes around the world, as the violence unfolded on TV sets, computers, tablets, mobile phones and more, all around the world.
