Former U.S. Congresswoman Liz Cheney has been quiet on social media recently, after making a few powerful condemnations of Donald Trump and the Jan 6 rioters and enablers back in June.
But there is more than one way to hurt a democracy, Cheney asserts in her pugilistic return to social media today: One can attack the Capitol by smashing through the windows, or one can attack it from inside the building.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is doing the latter, says Cheney, using extremely strong language to condemn Tuberville’s actions to hold up military promotions and leadership position confirmations.
Senator @TTuberville is doing significant damage to American military readiness and national security. His hold on DOD nominees is directly aiding America’s enemies, and raising serious questions about whose side the Senator is on. Senate leaders need to end this now. https://t.co/jYrXeGeaB4
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) August 14, 2023
“Senator Tuberville,” Cheney writes, sharing the testimony of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, “is doing significant damage to American military readiness and national security.”
[NOTE: Tuberville is hamstringing the U.S. military over its abortion policies, which include paid transportation and paid leave for service members seeking an abortion procedure.]
Cheney further writes of Tuberville: “His hold on DOD nominees is directly aiding America’s enemies, and raising serious questions about whose side the Senator is on. Senate leaders need to end this now.” (Boldface added above.)
Cheney, a University of Chicago-educated lawyer, is acutely aware of the legal implications of the very specific language she chooses, essentially calling Tuberville’s actions treasonous.
“Aiding America’s enemies,” which Cheney accuses Tuberville of doing, is specifically cited as an act of treason in the Constitution.
Article III, Section 3, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution reads: “Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.”
What is the punishment for treason?
18 U.S. Code § 2381: “Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.” (Boldface added above.)
