On Jan 7, Republican Representative Elise Stefanik referred to convicted Jan 6 criminals as “hostages.” Former Republican Representative and staunch anti-Trump advocate Liz Cheney blasted Stefanik for the “disgusting” phrase.
Stefanik’s claim
Rep. Stefanik was speaking on NBC News’s “Meet the Press” on Jan 7 when she said that she had “concerns about the treatment of the January 6th hostages.”
Echoes
The use of the word “hostages” was likely referencing former President Donald Trump’s speech from the day before. On the third anniversary of the Jan 6 riots, Trump said that “they ought to release the J6 hostages.”
Many criminals
Over 1,200 people have thus far been charged with crimes linked to the Jan 6 riots. About 730 of those have pleaded guilty.
Call for release
“Release the J6 hostages, Joe,” Trump said. “Release ’em, Joe. You can do it real easy, Joe.”
Suffering or pampered?
“They’ve suffered enough,” Trump claimed. Last year, an infamous Jan 6 participant known as the QAnon Shaman convinced a judge that he should only be given organic food while serving his sentence.
Double standard
“The fact that this man is given this kind of preference shows the double standard in the criminal justice system, and in the detention system,” criticized civil rights icon Reverend Al Sharpton. The food served to inmates has often been the source of criticism; over the last few years, multiple vendors have been found to have provided “adulterated food” and other substandard fare, per a 2021 report by CNN.
Connecting the dots
Liz Cheney argued on CBS News that Stefanik used the term “hostages” to deliberately echo Trump’s language. “It’s outrageous and disgusting,” Cheney said.
Violent offenders
“If you … go and you look at what individuals have been convicted for, who are incarcerated, you’ll find [that] these are people who were involved in violence against police officers in the assault on the Capitol,” Cheney said. The Department of Justice estimates that at least 140 officers were injured during the Jan 6 assault on the Capitol.
Cheney continues
“It is really disgraceful for Donald Trump to be saying what he’s saying,” Cheney continued, “and then for those who [are] attempting to enable him or attempting to further their own political careers [to] repeat it.”
Change of heart
Last year, Stefanik released a statement reiterating that she “strongly and clearly condemned the violence and destruction that occurred at the US Capitol.” She stated that the US “owes a debt of gratitude to the US Capitol Police for their bravery and heroism on that day.”
Unacceptable behavior
“It’s a disgrace,” Cheney said, referring to Stefanik and Trump’s “hostage” comments. “You cannot say you are a member of a party that believes in the rule of law, you cannot say you are pro-law enforcement, if you then go out and you say these people are ‘hostages.’ It’s disgraceful.”
Committee accounts
Cheney was the vice-chair of the House Jan 6 select committee. The panel’s final report ran more than 800 pages, concluded that Trump was guilty of inciting an insurrection, and recommended he face multiple criminal charges.
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