!['I told him [Donald Trump] that the stuff his people were shovelling out to the public was bull***t.' Former attorney general William Barr. AP](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/RLINK2AWKRFONAWRZ7TNQF6VI4.jpg?smart=true&auth=898bee20e87c352f4801c4275eab58720719d25c3b0343a94bb0b4d88c1d38f4&width=800&height=450)
Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney has suggested that former president Donald Trump could face “more than one” criminal referral for his actions following his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 election and during the January 6, 2021 insurrection.
Ms Cheney, 55, has gained prominence on the national stage and notoriety within her Republican Party after speaking out against Mr Trump's refusal to accept to his loss and his lies about election fraud.
She is vice chairwoman and one of two Republicans on the House of Representatives committee investigating the deadly insurrection, and was one of 10 Republicans in the House who voted to impeach the former president for inciting the attack.
In comments broadcast on Sunday, Ms Cheney told ABC News that the panel could make a recommendation to the Justice Department that Mr Trump should be criminally prosecuted — although she noted that the department did not need to wait for such a move.
“The department doesn't have to wait for the committee to make a criminal referral. And there could be more than one criminal referral,” Ms Cheney told ABC News.
She acknowledged that a criminal prosecution would be fraught in divided America, particularly as the Justice Department is overseen by the Biden White House.
But not taking on a case against Mr Trump could pose a “much graver constitutional threat”, she said.
“If a president can engage in these kinds of activities and the majority of the president's party looks away, or we as a country decide we're not actually going to take our constitutional obligations seriously, I think that's a much a much more serious threat.”
She pointed to committee testimony that showed Mr Trump knew some of the January 6 demonstrators were armed, but egged them on to march on the Capitol.
Mr Trump has dismissed the committee's findings as partisan theatre.
Ms Cheney of Wyoming, daughter of Dick Cheney, also refused to rule out her own run for the presidency in 2024.
“I'll make a decision about '24 down the road,” she said in the interview with ABC talk show This Week.
“The single most important thing is protecting the nation from Donald Trump.”
But Ms Cheney is fighting for her political life in Wyoming, where a Trump-backed rival is challenging her in the state's Republican primary, to be held next month before November's midterm elections.
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A noose and makeshift gallows was erected on the National Mall near the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as rioters chanted, 'Hang Mike Pence'. Bloomberg -
The rioters yelled 'hang Mike Pence' during the attack. AFP -
Chairman Bennie Thompson swears in J Michael Luttig, former US federal judge and adviser to former vice president Mike Pence, and Greg Jacob, former counsel to Mr Pence, during the third public hearing of the US House committee on January 6. Reuters -
Mr Luttig is sworn in before giving evidence during the third hearing. AFP -
Mr Jacob and Mr Luttig focused their evidence on former president Donald Trump's efforts to pressure Mr Pence into using his role to block congressional certification of Joe Biden's electoral victory. Bloomberg -
Mr Luttig gives evidence during the hearing. AFP -
Mr Luttig and Mr Jacob said that Mr Pence knew that he did not have the authority to re-elect Mr Trump. Reuters -
Mr Jacob said that the framers of the US Constitution made sure that no one person could choose the American president. Reuters -
Committee Vice Chairwoman Liz Cheney questions the witnesses. Reuters -
Images of the attack on the US Capitol were projected as the committee began its third day of hearings. AFP -
Many of those arrested for their participation in the attack on the Capitol said in court that they were there at the behest of Mr Trump. AFP -
Mr Thompson and Ms Cheney lead the hearing. Reuters -
Mr Trump told his supporters on January 6 that they needed to send a message to Mr Pence. AFP -
Former US president Donald Trump made round-the-clock from the White House 'looking for votes' and trying to convince his vice president to not confirm Joe Biden as winner of the 2020 election. AFP -
US Representative Pete Aguilar delivers remarks. Getty Images / AFP -
US Representative Adam Kinzinger listens during the third hearing. Getty Images / AFP -
US Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA) listens during the third hearing. Getty Images / AFP -
The committee heard that former US vice president Mike Pence that rioters were dangerously close on January 6. EPA -
A monitor shows video footage of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, during Thursday's public hearing. EPA
