Liz Cheney doing the job of Attorney General Merrick Garland

If Attorney General Merrick Garland was listening to Cheney’s remarks, now would be a good time to arrest and prosecute Trump for committing high crimes against the United States. 

He betrayed his oath of office by inciting the violence and gleefully sat back and watched for three hours to see if his scheme to keep power would succeed before finally relenting to calls for the National Guard to rescue American democracy. There is no excuse for not prosecuting Trump and his minions. If Garland won’t do it, he should resign immediately in favor of someone with a spine.

Documents released to the House January 6th Committee by former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reveal that Donald Trump was well aware of the attack on the Capitol as it unfolded, which is why Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) blasted Trump for doing nothing.

These communications are damning to Trump, which is why Cheney ripped him a new one on Monday and read out some of the text messages Meadows received.

“The violence was evident to all. It was covered in real-time by almost every news channel,” Cheney said. “For 187 minutes, President Trump refused to act. When action by our president was required, essential and indeed compelled in his oath to our Constitution. 

Mr. Meadows received numerous text messages, which he has produced without any privilege claim imploring that Mr. Trump take the specific action we all knew his duty required. These text messages leave no doubt the White House knew what was happening here at the Capitol.”

“One text Mr. Meadows received said quote we are under siege here at the Capitol,” Cheney continued. “In a third, ‘Mark, protesters are literally storming the Capitol breaking windows on doors rushing in. Is Trump going to say something?’ A fourth, ‘There is an armed standoff at the House Chamber door.’ And another from someone inside the Capitol, ‘We are all helpless.’ 

Dozens of texts including from Trump administration officials urged immediate action by the president. Quote, ‘He has to come out firmly and tell the protesters to dissipate. Someone is going to get killed.’ In another, ‘Mark, he needs to stop this now.’ A third in all caps, ‘TELL THEM TO GO HOME.’ A fourth and I quote, ‘POTUS needs to calm this shit down.'”