Biden takes swipe at Trump by giving nemesis Liz Cheney top honor for January 6 investigation

Joe Biden faces at least one more criticism of Donald Trump with just 18 days left in his presidency.

The president awarded former Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) the second-highest civilian honor.

The Presidential Citizens Medals are presented to Cheney and Thompson for their leadership in the congressional investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

Trump’s senior adviser Jason Miller called the selection for the awards “pathetic.”

“With attacks happening in the United States and around the world, this is how Biden is spending his time today?” Miller wrote on X.

He is referring to the two acts of violence on New Year’s Day. First, a suspect drove a car through a crowd in New Orleans before opening fire, killing fifteen people, and just hours later a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, killing one person and injuring seven hit.

Biden will present the medals to a total of twenty people during a ceremony at the White House on Thursday.

The list of winners includes Americans who fought for marriage equality and civil rights, a pioneer in rescuing and treating wounded soldiers, as well as two longtime friends of the president and former Senators Ted Kaufman (D -Del) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn). .).

“President Biden believes that these Americans are united by their common decency and commitment to serving others,” the White House said in a statement about the awards.

“The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice.”

Biden’s honorees last year included people involved in defending the Capitol against rioters.

Cheney quickly became one of Trump’s biggest enemies in Congress after Republicans voted to impeach him and then agreed to co-lead the House Select Committee’s investigation into the riot by MAGA fanatics.

“During two decades of public service, including as Congresswoman for Wyoming and Vice Chair of the Commission on the January 6th Attacks, Liz Cheney has raised her voice – and reached across the aisle – to defend our nation and the ideals for which we stand to defend: Freedom. Dignity. And decency,” Biden wrote of his decision to award the medal to the former lawmaker.

“Her integrity and fearlessness remind us all of what is possible when we work together,” he added.

Although she didn’t change the Republican Party, Cheney campaigned for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in her ultimately unsuccessful White House bid against Trump.

President-elect Trump vowed on his first day in office this month to pardon January 6 prisoners. He also said Cheney and the other eight panel members should serve prison time because of their investigation that found him guilty of the attack on the Capitol.

President Joe Biden will hold a ceremony for 20 honorees who will receive the second-highest civilian honor on Thursday

Trump previously said during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press: “Cheney has done something that is inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the non-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps,” claiming without evidence that they had ‘removed and destroyed the images’. ‘testimonies they collected.’

“Frankly, they should go to jail,” he added.

Besides Cheney, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger was the only other Republican on the committee.

Democratic members of the select committee included Chairman Thompson, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (California), Adam Schiff (California), Pete Aguilar (California), Jamie Raskin (Md.), and former Reps. Stephanie Murphy of Florida and Elaine Luria of Virginia.

Biden is reportedly considering whether to preemptively pardon Cheney, Thompson and the other Jan. 6 panelists amid concerns that Trump will target them in his second term.