Trump 'chose not to act' as mob attacked, Jan. 6 committee says

Rep. Liz Cheney, one of two Republicans on the committee, criticized Trump for "preying" on the patriotism of his supporters by lying to them about the 2020 election. His conduct on Jan. 6, she said, was "indefensible."

"In our hearing tonight, you saw an American president faced with a stark and unmistakable choice between right and wrong. There was no ambiguity, no nuance. Donald Trump made a purposeful choice to violate his oath of office, to ignore the ongoing violence against law enforcement, to threaten our constitutional order. There is no way to excuse that behavior," she said.

"And every American must consider this: can a president who is willing to make the choices Donald Trump made during the violence of Jan. 6 ever be trusted with any position of authority in our great nation again?" she asked.

In her closing statements, committee vice chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., acknowledged the testimony from dozens of Republican witnesses throughout its investigation.

"The case against Donald Trump in these hearings is not made by witnesses who were his political enemies," she said. "It was, instead, a series of confessions by Donald Trump's own appointees."

That included those who served Trump loyally for years and his own family members, she said.

She thanked the witnesses -- including ex-staffers Sarah Matthews, Matthew Pottinger and Cassidy Hutchinson -- for their bravery in speaking out publicly before millions of Americans.

"[Hutchinson] knew all along that she would be attacked by President Trump and by the 50-, 60- and 70-year-old men who hide themselves behind executive privilege," Cheney said.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger said one area where all Americans must agree is on Trump's behavior on Jan. 6.

"Whatever your politics, whatever you think about the outcome of the election, we as Americans must all agree on this: Donald Trump's conduct on Jan. 6 was a supreme violation of his oath of office and a complete dereliction of his duty to our nation," the Illinois Republican said.

"It is a stain on our history," Kinzinger continued. "It is a dishonor to all those who have sacrificed and died in service our democracy."

The House select committee shared never-before-seen raw footage of outtakes from former President Donald Trump's recorded message on Jan. 7, in which he "still could not say that the election was over," Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., said.

"This election is now over. Congress has certified the results," Trump starts to say, then adding, "I don't want to say the election is over."

"I just want to say Congress has certified the results, without saying the election is over, OK?" he continues.

Trump had refused to record the address for hours, Luria said, but ultimately relented "because of concerns that he might be removed from power by threats of the 25th Amendment."

The 25th Amendment lays out the procedures for replacing the president in the event of death, removal, resignation or incapacitation.