Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) slammed two of the top contenders for the GOP nomination for president on Sunday, saying she “certainly” believed President Donald Trump could be removed from state ballots over his role on Jan. 6, 2021, and that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was unfit for office.
Cheney made the remarks in an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, just a week before Republicans in Iowa are set to hold their caucuses and officially kick off the selection process for the party’s presidential candidate. Host Margaret Brennan asked the former congresswoman about a Colorado state court’s recent decision to disqualify Trump from appearing on its primary ballot this year, a case that will head to the Supreme Court next month.
“If you look at the Select Committee’s work, we made a criminal referral with respect to the part of the 14th amendment that talks about providing aid and comfort to an insurrection,” Cheney replied, referencing her tenure on the House Select Committee that investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection. “I certainly believe that Donald Trump’s behavior rose to that level, I believe that he ought to be disqualified from holding office in the future. It’s working its way through the courts.”
The Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling said Trump is ineligible under a clause in the 14th Amendment that bars those from state or federal office who took an oath to uphold the Constitution but then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against it. Maine’s secretary of state reached a similar conclusion late last month.
Cheney went on to add that she was disappointed with another leading candidate for the GOP nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, over his calls to review and potentially pardon Jan. 6 defendants.
“Someone who says that they would pardon individuals who assaulted the Capitol who attempted to stop a constitutional process, who assaulted police officers — I mean, it was a bloody battle,” she said. “I had police officers, one tell me that it was like medieval hand-to-hand combat.”
“The notion that the Republican Party would continue its efforts to whitewash that day when the peaceful transition of power is at the core of the survival of our republic tells you that they’re unfit for office.”
Brennan went on to ask about other Republican leaders’ support of Trump despite a litany of indictments and looming trials.
“Look, you’ve had two members of Republican leadership in the House on television this morning,” Cheney said. “You’ve had Mike [Johnson] on, again, claiming that he has the right, individually, to decide that he’s going to throw out millions of votes and ignore the rulings of the courts. You’ve had Elise Stefanik on this morning talking about the J-6 hostages.”
“I mean, you don’t have to take my word for the fact that you can’t count on these elected Republicans to defend the Constitution,” she added. “Every time they go out and give an interview, they demonstrate it themselves.”