It was always political, and now Joe Biden is set to prove it. The president has announced that he will be including the two leading figures from the controversial House committee that investigated the January 6th Capitol protest with the Presidential Citizens Medal—the nation’s second-highest civilian award. This medal, writes CBS News, is intended to recognize extraordinary service to the country.
Among the recipients are Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi congressman, and former Rep. Liz Cheney, a former Wyoming congresswoman who lives in Virginia, served as chair and vice chair of the highly divisive January 6th Committee. The committee, attacked by many conservatives for being a partisan effort aimed at discrediting former President Donald Trump and his supporters, operated without equal Republican representation and often appeared more focused on political theater than uncovering objective truths.
Thompson once tried to strip Trump of his Secret Service protection and saw a senior adviser claim that the former president staged his own assassination attempt.
Liz Cheney, once considered a rising star in the Republican Party, became one of Trump’s most vocal critics. Her participation in the committee and her repeated attacks on Trump ultimately led to her overwhelming defeat in the Wyoming Republican primary. Cheney has since alienated much of her conservative base by hinting at support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
A House investigation into how the January 6 Committee functioned has led to calls for Cheney to be charged with witness tampering and revealed that Thompson secretly worked with special prosecutor Jack Smith to break legal protocols.
Trump has denounced both Cheney and Thompson, calling their actions on the committee “a political witch hunt” and suggesting he may investigate their conduct if re-elected.
In addition to Thompson and Cheney, Biden will also honor left-leaning activists, including attorney Mary Bonauto, known for her legal efforts in same-sex marriage cases, and Eleanor Smeal, a long-time feminist activist. While the recipients’ achievements in their respective fields are notable, the ceremony appears to serve as a platform for Biden to reinforce his administration’s progressive priorities, according to Axios.
Critics argue that the Presidential Citizens Medal, traditionally a symbol of selfless public service, is being politicized to reward Biden’s allies and perpetuate a narrative that vilifies Trump and his supporters. However, Biden and his administration continue to frame the event as a celebration of integrity, courage, and public service—values they claim are under threat by their political opponents.
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