Biden Honors Two January 6 Committee Panelists Cheney and Thompson With the Second Highest Civilian Award

Lame duck President Joe Biden is awarding two members of the January 6 Select Committee with the second highest civilian award, the Presidential Citizens Medal. President Richard Nixon created the medal in 1969. It only ranks lower than the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Former Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the vice chair of the J6 Select Committee, and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), who chaired the panel, will be among 20 recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal on Thursday.

“President Biden believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others,” the White House wrote. “The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice.”

The duo remains accused of destroying evidence of which the then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) demanded its preservation, including over 100 encrypted files and up to 2 terabytes of data.

Cheney, the most polarizing of the two, has been recommended for investigation and potential prosecution. Thompson is also blamed for deleting the January 6 protests files, some of which were later recovered. Trump has thrown his weight behind prosecuting the J6 panelists. 

“Cheney did something that’s inexcusable, along with Thompson and the people on the un-select committee of political thugs and, you know, creeps,” Trump said during NBC’s Meet the Press interview.

“Honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump added.

While Biden’s list includes some outstanding individuals, it also had others seemingly solely intended to send a political message.

They include Mary Bonauto and Evan Wolfson, who fought to legalize same-sex marriage, and former Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), an anti-gun advocate. The list also includes politicians and Biden’s allies, former senators Chris Dodd (D., Conn.) and Ted Kaufman (D., Del.).

The White House also strongly defended Cheney’s record in “defending” freedom, dignity, and decency and working across party lines.

“Throughout two decades in public service, including as a congresswoman for Wyoming and vice chair of the committee on the Jan. 6 attack, Liz Cheney has raised her voice — and reached across the aisle — to defend our nation and the ideals we stand for: Freedom. Dignity. And decency,” the White House said in a statement. “Her integrity and intrepidness remind us all what is possible if we work together.”

However, most Americans perceive her differently. Cheney’s constituents rejected her by a 40% margin in favor of her competitor.

Similarly, her support for the Democratic Party’s flagbearer, Kamala Harris, had the opposite effect on a key voting group. Independent voters in Michigan and Pennsylvania became “less enthusiastic” after she campaigned for her.

Besides the Presidential Citizens Medal award, Biden is reportedly considering granting Cheney and other political allies a presidential pardon to prevent Trump from prosecuting them for the alleged crimes, including evidence tampering. Thompson has welcomed any potential Biden’s pardon.

“If he offers it, to me or other members of the committee, I think it, I would accept it, but it’s his choice,” he said.

Meanwhile, Trump promised to pardon the January 6 detainees on his first day in office, adding that the sham investigation destroyed their lives.