January 6th Committee holds final hearing of the summer with a focus on Donald Trump

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney drew a hard line in the sand by agreeing to serve as vice-chair for the January 6th committee. She’s steadfast in her objective of unveiling their findings to the American people - even though experts say it puts her at odds with her own party - and puts her political future in Jeopardy.

Thursday will focus on the man she is aiming to expose - Donald Trump.

“This one is really going to focus on President Trump. What was he doing? And perhaps more importantly, what was he not doing in terms of trying to stop what was unfolding at the Capitol?” said Molly Reynolds of the Brookings Institution.

Reynolds says Thursday’s hearing will give a clear timeline of what the President was doing on January 6th, from his speech at the ellipse, to his eventual call for peace hours later. The hearing marks the last one of the summer - and a last stand of sorts for Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney.

“I think the vice chair was really, you know, really went into this thinking this was the right thing to do,” said Reynolds. “She really put her own political future on the line to participate actively and be a real force behind these hearings. And, you know, I think that’s what she meant. She intended to do. And I think that’s what she has done.”

University of Wyoming Political Science Professor Jim King agrees.

‘I don’t think this was at any time really in the context of a immediate political gain for her, either in Wyoming or nationally. It was a stance based on principle and disapproval” said King.

King sees the feud between Cheney and the former President now playing out in the run-up to the November election.

“Mr. Trump has made himself a presence in the campaign with his endorsement and his appearance for Harriet Hagerman, Cheney certainly has not backed down in her criticisms of former President Trump.”

While her seat on the committee may cost her seat in Congress, Reynolds believes this won’t be the last we see of Liz Cheney.

“I think folks now see her as really an institutionally minded Republican, someone who isn’t afraid to kind of stand up for what she believes even if that means going against a very popular former president” said Reynolds.

According to a poll released Friday by the Casper-star tribune, Cheney is currently trailing her Trump-backed primary opponent Harriet Hageman by 22 points.