CNN anchor Jim Acosta confronted Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) on Wednesday over a Home Republican subcommittee siding with President-elect Donald Trump and concluding that former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney ought to be prosecuted for investigating what occurred when Trump incited an assault on the U.S. Capitol after dropping the 2020 election.

‘Isn’t this banana republic stuff?!” Acosta questioned at one level.

Wrapping up their very own investigation into the January 6 Capitol riots, Republicans on the Home Administration’s Subcommittee on Oversight launched a report this week arguing that Cheney’s communications with former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson have been akin to witness tampering and that she ought to be subjected to a felony probe.

“Liz Cheney might be in numerous hassle based mostly on the proof obtained by the subcommittee, which states that ‘quite a few federal legal guidelines have been probably damaged by Liz Cheney, and these violations ought to be investigated by the FBI.’ Thanks to Congressman Barry Loudermilk on a job nicely finished,” Trump mentioned in a 3 a.m. Reality Social publish on Wednesday, praising the Home Administration Committee Chairman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA).

The Republicans’ report, which primarily parrots Trump’s argument that he was to not blame for a MAGA mob storming the Capitol as Congress sought to certify Joe Biden’s electoral victory, was launched a month earlier than the president-elect returns to the White Home. The findings appear to strengthen Trump’s needs to see Cheney and different members of the January 6 committee jailed for his or her participation.

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Cheney, for her half, reacted to the report by saying it “deliberately disregards the reality and the Choose Committee’s super weight of proof, and as an alternative fabricates lies and defamatory allegations in an try and cowl up what Donald Trump did.”

Interviewing Burchett on Wednesday morning, Acosta introduced up Trump’s response to Loudermilk’s findings and famous that the incoming president has known as for the January 6 committee members to be imprisoned.

“It recommends that there be a felony investigation into Liz Cheney. Do you assume there ought to be a felony investigation into Liz Cheney, certainly one of your former colleagues?” Acosta requested.

“If she broke the legislation, why ought to she be exempt?” Burchett shot again. “I assure if [CNN correspondent] Manu Raju otherwise you broke the legislation, they’d drag you all into court docket in chains. And why ought to she be exempt?”The CNN anchor questioned if the pro-Trump congressman truly believed Cheney broke the legislation, prompting Burchett to say she dedicated unlawful acts if she “altered proof” and “coached witnesses” as specified by the GOP report.

“What’s the proof of that? I imply, the report got here out simply days after Donald Trump mentioned the member of the committee ought to go to jail,” Acosta retorted. “Aren’t they simply doing his bidding?”

Referencing the revelation that the Home Ethics Committee will launch the outcomes of its probe into former congressman Matt Gaetz over allegations of intercourse trafficking a 17-year-old lady, Burchett groused concerning the lack of “proof towards Matt Gaetz” aside from a Congressional report.

“You’ve obtained a report. It’s the identical factor,” Burchett continued. “That’s why individuals don’t belief the media. You might have a double commonplace for one and never for the opposite! If she didn’t break the legislation, she’s effective. But when she did break the legislation, she ought to be held accountable. What’s improper with them asking questions?!”

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Noting that Burchett as soon as once more introduced up the Gaetz report, which he mentioned earlier within the interview was being launched as a part of a “revenge” plot towards the Trump ally, Acosta pressed the congressman on whether or not Republicans have been happening an authoritarian street.

“The Home Ethics Committee is voting to launch this report, presumably with some Republican assist,” the host mentioned. “This can be a Home Republican report on January 6 recommending that Liz Cheney be criminally investigated. Isn’t this banana republic stuff?”

Apoplectic over Acosta’s query, Burchett reiterated that Cheney can be “effective” so long as she “didn’t break the legislation,” claiming that she shouldn’t be “exempt” from prosecution.

The back-and-forth between the 2 would go on for just a few extra minutes, together with Acosta grilling Burchett on whether or not Home Republicans have been simply trying to “go after Trump’s political enemies” whereas the conservative lawmaker insisted that lawbreakers “must be dropped at justice” no matter political allegiance.

In the meantime, after Burchett repeatedly dismissed the findings of the January 6 committee, Acota questioned as soon as extra: “Is that this about Trump getting revenge and Home Republicans going together with it?”