The House Jan. 6 committee will not consider allowing former President Donald Trump to testify live on television to fulfill his subpoena, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, said Sunday.
Trump has not publicly indicated how he would respond to the subpoena for his testimony and documents, issued by the committee on Friday. But nonetheless, he has been telling his associates that he would be willing to speak to the committee if he can answer questions live, the New York Times reported, citing a source close to Trump.
Asked if the committee is open to live testimony in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Cheney, its vice chairman, said, “We’re not going to allow, he’s not going to turn this into a circus.”
“The committee treats this matter very seriously,” he said. “We are going to proceed with the questioning of the former president under oath. It may take several days. And it will be done with the level of rigor, discipline and seriousness that it deserves.”
The panel, Cheney continued, will not allow the former president to turn his testimony into “his first debate against Joe Biden and the circus and food fight that it became.”
“This is too serious a set of problems. And we’ve made it clear exactly what your obligations are. And we are proceeding with, with that established,” he added.
Cheney also said he believes Trump has committed “multiple criminal offenses,” citing evidence and testimony the panel has passed on in recent public hearings, warning that the committee has “many, many alternatives” to consider if he tries to challenge the subpoena. .
“We presented testimony that showed he admitted that he lost,” Cheney said. “But even if he thought he had won, he can’t send an armed mob to the Capitol.”
The committee unanimously voted to subpoena Trump during his ninth public hearing this month after arguing that he instigated the bloodshed at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
“As demonstrated in our hearings, we have gathered overwhelming evidence, including from dozens of your former appointees and staff, that you personally orchestrated and oversaw a multi-party effort to nullify the 2020 presidential election and obstruct the peaceful transition of power.” . committee leaders told Trump in a letter accompanying the subpoena.
The subpoena requests that Trump testify on Capitol Hill or by video conference at 10 a.m. ET on Nov. 14, after the midterm elections.
In response to the subpoena, David A. Warrington of the Dhillon Law Group, which represents Trump, accused the panel of “disobeying customary and proper process and law” by releasing the subpoena.
“As with any similar matter, we will review and discuss, and respond as appropriate to this unprecedented action,” Warrington said in a statement.
