Justice Department should prosecute Donald Trump for US Capitol riot: Liz Cheney 

The vice-chair of US House committee probing the last year’s January 6 riots said that it would not hesitate to prosecute Donald Trump and that it could make multiple referrals to the Department of Justice seeking criminal charges against the former president.

In an interview with ABC news on Sunday, vice-chair of committee Liz Cheney said that the House of Representatives select committee would soon make a formal recommendation of charges to take action against Trump.

"We'll make a decision as a committee about it," she said when asked about the prospect of referring Trump for prosecution.

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"The Justice Department doesn't have to wait for the committee to make a criminal referral, and there could be more than one criminal referral," Cheney said.

Cheney slammed Trump's conduct during and after the Capitol riots, in which his supporters failed to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's 2020 election victory, including an incendiary speech immediately preceding the riot.

The Republican leader 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" than prosecuting him.”

"I really believe we have to make these decisions, as difficult as it is, apart from politics. We really have to think about these from the perspective of: What does it mean for the country?" she added.

The comments by Cheney come days after the testimony of former White House aideCassidy Hutchinson who told the panel that Trump was angry when informed by his Secret Service that he couldn't accompany protesters to the Capitol on January 6.

Trump has denied responsibility for the Capitol attack but has said he would pardon those involved if he again becomes president.

(With inputs from agencies)

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