“The source familiar with the communications tells CNN the texts may not reflect well on the former president."
By this point, bearing the scars of the last five years, we know we should avoid irrational exuberance of any sort about these investigations, and give wide berth to the breathless the-walls-are-closing-in-on-him punditry.
But, people…
I’ve unrolled the rest of Cheney’s thread:
We have received exceptionally interesting and important documents from a number of witnesses, including Mark Meadows. He has turned over many texts from his private cell phone from January 6th.
We have litigated and won Trump’s executive privilege case in Federal District Court. The Federal Appellate Court has expedited the appeal, and we anticipate a ruling regarding many more Trump White House documents soon. [As indeed happened moments later.]
The investigation is firing on all cylinders.
Do not be misled: President Trump is trying to hide what happened on January 6th and to delay and obstruct. We will not let that happen. The truth will come out.
What was this all about?
Via CNN:
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows provided the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot with text messages and emails that show he was "exchanging with a wide range of individuals while the attack was underway," according to a source with knowledge of the communications.
The messages on Meadows' personal cell phone and email account, which were voluntarily handed over without any claim of executive privilege, relate to "what Donald Trump was doing and not doing during the riot," the source added.
So, Meadows may be refusing to testify, but the communications he’s handed over “offer a window into what people were texting to Meadows on January 6, what he was telling them about Trump in real time, and what the former President was doing for those hours while the Capitol was under attack and rioters were chanting ‘Hang Mike Pence,’ according to the source.”
There are other sources, as well. Committee insiders report that “many people every week [are] coming in to testify and produce documents." There also may be far more subpoenas out there than we have previously known.
But the Meadows texts may be the motherlode. Again, CNN:
In a letter sent to Meadows' attorney on Wednesday, the committee hinted at the content of the texts it has received from Trump's former chief of staff. The letter noted Meadows provided the committee with "text messages about the need for the former President to issue a public statement that could have stopped the January 6th attack on the Capitol."
The source familiar with the communications tells CNN the texts may not reflect well on the former president.
**
Meanwhile, Trump suffered a major legal defeat when the DC Circuit of Appeals slam-dunked his attempt to block White House records from the January 6 investigators.
“On the record before us, former President Trump has provided no basis for this court to override President Biden’s judgment and the agreement and accommodations worked out between the Political Branches over these documents,” the three-judge panel determined in a 68-page opinion authored by Judge Patricia Millett. “Both Branches agree that there is a unique legislative need for these documents and that they are directly relevant to the Committee’s inquiry into an attack on the Legislative Branch and its constitutional role in the peaceful transfer of power.”
The decision was a thorough thumping. Jonathan Karl suggests reading the whole thing, calling it “a clarion call for investigating what happed on Jan 6.”
Trump will, of course appeal to SCOTUS, but the law seems clear enough that they he shouldn’t count on his three appointees to bail him out.
**
Speaking of coverups, make sure you read Amanda Carpenter’s piece in today’s Bulwark: “Someone Is Lying About Why It Took So Long for the National Guard to Deploy on January 6.”
Someone is lying. Not shading the truth, or doing Talmudic readings, but outright lying.
So who is it?
Rep. Liz Cheney @RepLizCheney
Jonathan Karl @jonkarl