Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.). Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, said during the Jan. 6 hearing on Thursday that Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) contacted the Trump White House for a presidential pardon in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack.
Why it matters: The committee has spent the better part of a year gathering documents and testimony about what went on before, during and after the attack, with the hearings aimed at presenting that information to the public.
- "As you will see, Rep. Perry contacted the White House in the weeks after Jan. 6 to seek a presidential pardon," Cheney said.
The other side: Perry spokesperson Jay Ostrich told Axios that Cheney's allegation was "Laughable, ludicrous and a thoroughly soulless lie."
Cheney added: "Multiple other Republican congressmen also sought presidential pardons for their roles in attempting to overturn the 2020 election."
- Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) were previously reported as having made efforts to secure presidential pardons.
The backdrop: The committee requested voluntary testimony from, and later subpoenaed, Perry, who repeatedly declined to testify.
- The panel has cited Perry's efforts to install Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, a steadfast advocate of former President Trump's unfounded claims the 2020 election was stolen, as acting attorney general.
- Perry, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, also led the objection to counting Pennsylvania's electoral votes after the Jan. 6 attack.
What to watch: Perry will likely be a central player in the committee's third hearing next Wednesday, which Cheney said will focus on Trump's efforts to replace leadership at the Justice Department.