Rep. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican who serves as the committee’s vice chairwoman, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday’s “State of the Union” that the committee is speaking with Thomas’ attorney.
“We certainly hope that he will come voluntarily, but the committee is fully prepared to contemplate a subpoena if he doesn’t. I hope it doesn’t come to that. I hope he comes voluntarily,” Cheney said. “So it’s very important for us to talk to her and as I said, I hope she agrees to do it voluntarily, but I’m sure we’ll be looking at a subpoena if she doesn’t.”
The committee has asked Thomas, a conservative activist, to meet with the group and provide documents that could be relevant to the investigation. The committee has email correspondence between Thomas and former President Donald Trump’s campaign lawyer, John Eastman, as well as texts between her and Trump’s White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. The texts show Thomas urging Meadows to continue the fight to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Eastman and Meadows have also been the subject of the committee’s investigation.
An attorney for Thomas said in a letter to a House select committee last month that he “does not believe there is a sufficient basis to speak to” Thomas.
No decision yet on Trump’s criminal references
Cheney also said the committee has not decided whether to make criminal references against President Donald Trump, but that he believed Trump violated the oath of office and that it is “absolutely something we are looking at.”
“I think that Donald Trump, the violation of his oath of office, the violation of the Constitution that he participated in, is the most serious misconduct of any president in the history of our nation. I think, as I said, the committee has not yet decided whether we will make criminal referrals or not. That is something that we take very seriously. And I would also say that the Department of Justice is certainly very focused on what we see publicly about what is the largest criminal investigation in the States United States. history. But I have no doubt that the President of the United States is unfit for another office.”
Cheney also said he believes the missing Secret Service texts are “deeply troubling.”
“I also know that what we’ve seen in terms of what’s happened over the course of what we’ve become aware of over the last few weeks is deeply troubling,” he said. “We’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Cheney on his future
Cheney said his Jan. 6 committee work “is the most important thing I’ve ever done professionally,” telling Tapper that even if he loses his upcoming re-election race because of his committee work , “there was no doubt” that it was still worth serving there.
He said his primary run was “a very unusual moment, certainly in American politics.”
“I’ll also say this, I’m not going to lie. I’m not going to say things that aren’t true about the election,” he said. “My opponents are certainly doing it for the purpose of getting elected … if I have to choose between keeping a seat in the House of Representatives or protecting the constitutional republic and making sure the American people know the truth about Donald Trump, I’ll Choose the Constitution and the Truth Every Day.”
This story has been updated to include more of Cheney’s interview.