Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning

Cheney discusses the selection of members for the January 6 Committee. Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy were responsible for nominating members. McCarthy nominated five Republicans. Cheney believed nominees Rodney Davis, Kelly Armstrong, and Troy Nehls might approach the investigation with an open mind. She felt that nominees Jim Jordan and Jim Banks posed conflicts of interest due to their close ties to Trump. Pelosi rejected Jordan and Banks, and McCarthy withdrew all five nominees, claiming partisanship.

Cheney’s narrative also mentions the recruitment of capable lawyers for the investigation, including Joe Maher and John Wood. She highlights the efforts to maintain a nonpartisan approach to the committee’s work, despite claims of partisanship by Trump’s allies. Cheney recognizes the dedication and hard work of the committee’s staff members, including prosecutors, communicators, and investigators, who played crucial roles in uncovering the truth about the January 6 attack.

Cheney describes the initial hearing of the January 6 Committee, where four members of the Capitol and Metropolitan Police Departments testified. The witnesses shared their experiences during the attack on the Capitol, highlighting the violence they endured and the weapons used by the rioters. Cheney emphasized the importance of uncovering the truth behind the events of January 6, despite potential political consequences, to preserve the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power. She also mentioned the support and engagement of young Americans in the effort to defend the Constitution.

Cheney focuses on the late former Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming, a respected friend and colleague. Cheney recalls his retirement and describes his support, wisdom, and guidance, particularly on budget issues. She also mentions key Trump White House staffers, like Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sarah Matthews, who began reaching out to her and Adam Kinzinger. They had valuable information related to events on January 6, which Cheney and her team began to explore. Despite political risks, Cheney remained committed to her role on the January 6 Committee.

Cheney highlights the investigative efforts of the January 6 Committee. The committee faced challenges with subpoenas encountering resistance and concerns about the time-consuming nature of civil enforcement. Steve Bannon, who had defied a subpoena, was pursued for criminal contempt. During a hearing in the House Rules Committee, Cheney and others testified, emphasizing the importance of the investigation and urging colleagues to uphold it. The chapter also highlights Jim Jordan’s testimony and the subsequent indictment and conviction of Bannon. Security threats against Cheney increased, leading to a Capitol Police detail.

Cheney details the January 6 Committee’s efforts to obtain testimony and communications from Mark Meadows, the former White House Chief of Staff. Meadows was subpoenaed for his text messages and emails related to Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Initially, Meadows’s lawyer claimed that the documents were not in his personal custody, suggesting they were with the Archivist of the United States, but eventually, many of his texts and emails were provided. These communications revealed critical information about the events leading up to January 6, including Fox News hosts’ private concerns. The chapter also highlights the importance of Meadows’s testimony and the potential legal implications for individuals involved in attempts to overturn the election.

Cheney focuses on the legal battle over the January 6 Committee’s subpoena to the National Archives for White House documents related to the events of January 6. Trump had challenged the subpoena, seeking an injunction to stop the release of these documents. The chapter highlights the rapid progress of the legal process, from a district court victory on November 9, 2021, to an appellate court decision on November 30, 2021, and a 9-1 ruling by the Supreme Court on January 19, 2022, affirming the committee’s right to access the documents. The court emphasized that presidents are not kings and that Trump’s status as a former president did not change the outcome. This legal victory strengthened the committee’s position in its investigation.

Chapter 37 describes the January 6 Committee’s efforts to gain a detailed understanding of the Capitol attack. Members of the committee conducted a nighttime walkthrough of the Capitol, guided by officers who had been present during the attack. They traced the intruders’ path through the building, learned about key moments, and spoke to Capitol Police officers. The chapter also highlights the one-year anniversary of the attack, marked by a somber moment in the House chamber. Cheney reflects on her party’s changing dynamics, including the Republican National Committee’s censure of her and Adam Kinzinger for their involvement in the investigation. She criticizes the party’s shift away from constitutional principles and toward loyalty to Trump.

The January 6 Committee focused on conducting witness interviews and recording them on video to ensure transparency. The chapter also highlights the challenges in getting certain key witnesses to cooperate. Cheney names individuals including John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, General Mike Flynn, Roger Stone, Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan, Scott Perry, Mark Meadows, Dan Scavino, Steve Bannon, and Peter Navarro as those who invoked their 5th Amendment rights, refusing to discuss their interactions with Trump. The chapter mentions texts related to Congressman Ronny Jackson during the January 6 attack, raising questions about potential communication with the Oath Keepers. Special Counsel Jack Smith was tasked with uncovering the truth in this matter.

The January 6 Committee sought access to John Eastman’s emails and communications, arguing that the “crime-fraud exception” to attorney-client privilege may apply if they provide evidence of a criminal or fraudulent scheme to overturn the election. Eastman’s emails became pivotal, leading to a legal battle. Federal Judge David Carter conducted an in-camera review of Eastman’s emails and concluded that President Trump attempted to obstruct the Joint Session on January 6, 2021, by pressuring Vice President Pence. The court also found evidence of dishonest conspiracy to obstruct the electoral vote count, calling it a coup in search of a legal theory. This marked a significant victory for the committee’s investigation.

The January 6 Committee became frustrated as the Justice Department delayed indicting Mark Meadows for contempt of Congress, despite having produced documents and text messages that were not privileged. Meadows had also written a book containing false claims about January 6. The committee filed a motion for summary judgment in response to Meadows’s lawsuit, seeking to remove any legal shield he might have to avoid testifying. Cassidy Hutchinson, a key witness as a former aide to Meadows in the Trump White House, provided information that Meadows believed Pence “deserved to be hung” and that Meadows had burned documents in his office fireplace. Meadows eventually testified before the January 6 grand jury, raising questions about his cooperation with the Justice Department’s investigation.

The January 6 Committee conducted interviews with high-ranking members of the Trump administration. They discovered that various advisers, including Attorney General Bill Barr and Jared Kushner, repeatedly informed Trump that there was no evidence to support his election fraud claims. While some, like Kushner, assisted in spreading Trump’s election lies, others tried to rein in his actions after January 6. Cheney describes the testimony of Kayleigh McEnany, White House Press Secretary, as rehearsed and evasive and indicating a reluctance to anger Trump. Despite this, the committee gathered credible testimony on key issues and worked to fill gaps in their knowledge for upcoming hearings.

The committee faced concerns over staff leaks. On April 25, 2022, thousands of Meadows’s text messages were leaked to CNN, believed to be the work of a departing staff member. The leak was deemed unethical and counterproductive. The investigation also encountered an erroneous proposal to subpoena Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s private communications, which highlights the need for careful scrutiny. Ginni Thomas, wife of Justice Thomas, was interviewed by the committee but held unwavering beliefs in election fraud despite evidence to the contrary. The chapter ends with a reflection on historical documents at the Library of Congress to emphasize the importance of respecting the will of the people in elections.