Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming was elevated Thursday to the role of vice chair of the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as other Republicans pushed for her ouster from the GOP.
Ms. Cheney, formerly the third-ranked House Republican, will now have a more commanding role in the bipartisan congressional panel investigating the Capitol riot.
“Every member of this committee is dedicated to conducting a non-partisan, professional and thorough investigation of all the relevant facts regarding January 6th and the threat to our Constitution we faced that day,” Ms. Cheney said in a statement. “I have accepted the position of Vice Chair of the committee to assure that we achieve that goal. We owe it to the American people to investigate everything that led up to, and transpired on, January 6th. We will not be deterred by threats or attempted obstruction and we will not rest until our task is complete.”
Committee members are investigating the facts, circumstances and causes related to the Jan. 6 riot, when supporters of former President Donald Trump breached the Capitol and disrupted a joint session of Congress.
The probe is being led by Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Democrat, who promoted Ms. Cheney, the former chair of the House Republican Conference, to her new position on the committee.
Ms. Cheney “has demonstrated again and again her commitment to getting answers about January 6th, ensuring accountability and doing whatever it takes to protect democracy for the American people,” Mr. Thompson said in a statement, adding that her “leadership and insights have shaped the early work of the Select Committee and this appointment underscores the bipartisan nature of this effort.
One of two Republicans on the panel, Ms. Cheney faced complaints from within her party over her involvement in the probe leading up to and after her promotion to vice chair was made public.
Rep. Andy Biggs, chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, wrote House Minority Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Wednesday claiming that both Republicans on the select committee cannot be trusted.
In response, Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, one of the two committee Republicans, said he was “even more committed” than before to learning the facts about the Capitol riot.
More recently, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a member of the Freedom Caucus, echoed Mr. Biggs on Twitter, tweeting Thursday: “Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger must be thrown out of the GOP conference!”
Trump supporters breached the Capitol as House and Senate members certified the Electoral College votes effectively recognizing President Biden to be the winner of the November 2020 presidential election.
Democratic efforts to establish an independent commission to investigate the events of Jan. 6 were blocked by Senate Republicans, prompting the House to vote to establish the select committee instead.
Ms. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has made herself among the more prominent members of the GOP to rip Mr. Trump over the riot and joined Democrats to vote in favor of impeaching him for inciting an insurrection, in turn resulting in her removal from the commanding House conference chair position and the ongoing complaints from within her party.
“It’s important to everyone that the select committee’s leadership reflect the bipartisan effort we are engaged in and I’m pleased that Ms. Cheney has agreed to serve as the select committee’s Vice Chair,” Mr. Thompson said. “We are fortunate to have a partner of such strength and courage, and I look forward to continuing our work together as we uncover the facts, tell the American people the full story of January 6th, and ensure that nothing like that day ever happens again.”