President Biden will award the Presidential Citizens Medal to former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., who led the congressional committee that investigated the Jan. 6 , 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The Presidential Citizens Medal honors Americans who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. It is the second-highest civilian honor a president can bestow and awarding it to Cheney and Thompson sends a signal to President-elect Trump.
Trump has criticized the pair repeatedly, falsely accusing them of breaking the law with their investigation into his actions on and around Jan. 6.
“President Biden believes these Americans are bonded by their common decency and commitment to serving others,” the White House said in a statement. “The country is better because of their dedication and sacrifice.”
Biden is also set to award the medal to several civil rights leaders and advocates who worked on issues he championed in his career, among others. Among those being honored are two of Biden’s longtime friends, former Sens. Ted Kaufman, D-Del., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.
In all Biden will award the Citizens Medal to 20 people.
Last year he awarded 14 people with the medal for their work protecting the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection and for overseeing the 2020 election process despite efforts to overturn the results.
Cheney was one of two Republicans on the panel that investigated Jan. 6. The panel recommended that Trump be prosecuted by the Department of Justice on four charges: obstruction of an official proceeding; conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to make a false statement; and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by assisting, aiding or comforting those involved in an insurrection.
Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, has said he’d pardon some of those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 riot. He has repeatedly dismissed the findings of the Jan. 6 committee and attacked Cheney on social media.
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