A new report released on Tuesday by Rep. Barry Loudermilk and the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight calls for an investigation into former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney for alleged criminal activity stemming from her work on the House Select Committee investigating the events of January 6, 2021.
The report accuses Cheney of tampering with witness Cassidy Hutchinson, a former aide to Mark Meadows, Chief of Staff under then-President Donald Trump.
The report details accusations that Cheney improperly communicated with Hutchinson, violating federal laws and potentially influencing her testimony. It states:
“Based on the evidence obtained by this Subcommittee, numerous federal laws were likely broken by Liz Cheney, the former Vice Chair of the January 6 Select Committee, and these violations should be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Evidence uncovered by the Subcommittee revealed that former Congresswoman Liz Cheney tampered with at least one witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, by secretly communicating with Hutchinson without Hutchinson’s attorney’s knowledge. This secret communication with a witness is improper and likely violates 18 U.S.C. 1512. Such action is outside the due functioning of the legislative process and therefore not protected by the Speech and Debate clause.”
The report further asserts that Liz Cheney could have violated 18 U.S.C. 1622, which prohibits procuring someone to commit perjury. It alleges that Hutchinson’s testimony before the committee contained falsehoods that were later debunked, particularly regarding claims about Trump’s behavior on January 6.
Hutchinson’s most notable claim, made during her public testimony, was that President Trump attempted to grab the steering wheel of his vehicle and lunged at a Secret Service agent when he was driven away from the Stop the Steal rally at the Ellipse in Washington, DC. This account, Hutchinson said, was relayed to her second-hand.
In March 2024, the Secret Service agent driving Trump that day refuted her version of events. The agent stated, “I did not see him reach. He never grabbed the steering wheel. I didn’t see him, you know, lunge to try to get into the front seat at all. What stood out was the irritation in his voice, more than his physical presence.”
While the agent confirmed Trump was “pushing pretty hard” to go to the Capitol, no evidence corroborated Hutchinson’s claim of physical altercations. The discrepancy between Hutchinson’s statements and the Secret Service account forms a key component of the report’s call for further investigation into perjury and Cheney’s involvement.
The Subcommittee’s October 2023 report revealed Cheney’s alleged improper communication with Hutchinson through an intermediary, former White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah Griffin. At the time, Hutchinson was represented by attorney Stefan Passantino.
A text message cited in the October report showed Griffin telling Hutchinson that Cheney had agreed to keep their conversations confidential. Cheney reportedly told Hutchinson, through Griffin, that she “admired” her and believed she “wanted to do the right thing.”
These private exchanges, the Subcommittee claims, suggest Cheney directly influenced Hutchinson’s evolving testimony, leading to concerns about witness tampering and ethical violations.
Cheney’s role on the January 6 Committee has long been a point of contention. Appointed to the committee by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Cheney was one of only two Republicans on the panel, alongside former Rep. Adam Kinzinger.
The committee was chaired by Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) after Pelosi rejected Republican leader Kevin McCarthy’s appointments of Reps. Jim Jordan and Jim Banks. McCarthy, in response, withdrew GOP participation, arguing the committee was a partisan endeavor.
Liz Cheney, who became a vocal critic of Donald Trump, served as Vice Chair of the committee but ultimately lost her reelection bid in Wyoming.
The Subcommittee’s report concludes that Cheney’s alleged actions—communicating privately with Hutchinson and potentially encouraging her to alter testimony—warrant an FBI investigation. It also raises questions about the legitimacy of Hutchinson’s public statements and whether her testimony was manipulated for political purposes.
The report further suggests that the events of January 6, 2021, were preventable, although it does not elaborate on specific failures beyond the committee’s handling of witnesses and testimony.
With the release of these findings, calls for accountability are expected to grow. Rep. Loudermilk and his Subcommittee have emphasized the need for transparency and justice, particularly regarding Cheney’s conduct on the committee. Whether the FBI will act on the recommendations remains to be seen.