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The televised hearings addressing the violence that occurred at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, were nothing short of riveting and disturbing.

The House committee has been gathering information and investigating the attempted act of sedition for more than a year, amassing at minimum 140,000-plus documents and investigating more than 1,000 witnesses.

The committee learned all sorts of appalling facts, including that former President Donald Trump flippantly said his former vice president, Mike Pence, deserved to be hung after hearing rioters were reciting hang Mike Pence.

Newly released footage and original testimony nullified the pathetically disingenuous remark made by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., who equated the behavior of violent insurrectionists to that of a normal tourist visit.

Several capitol police officers and other witnesses provided testimony to the committee, all of whom were riveting and captivating to listen to.

Engaging commentary notwithstanding, the highlight of the evening was Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., whose performance was nothing short of a tour de force.

She put her MAGA Republican counterparts to shame, exposing them for both their cowardice and their dereliction of duty. Among her most deliberate comments (one of many) was when Cheney stated President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack.

For the record, I am not a political supporter of Cheney. Her politics differ dramatically from mine.

Despite Cheneys honorable and arguably courageous stance in challenging a sizable segment of her Republican colleagues for their habitually untoward behavior, the truth is that she is a right of center conservative who overwhelmingly supported much of Trumps agenda during his presidency.

Considerable partisan allegiance aside, when it came time to stand up for the protection and preservation of democracy, Cheney disregarded so-called party loyalty and aligned herself with the virtues of truth and honesty. For this, she deserves accolades.

Among other facts, the initial night of the hearings revealed that many of those around Trump were well aware of the fact that he had lost the election to President Joe Biden.

Trumps attorney general, Bill Barr, testified that he dismissed the claim that the 2020 election was stolen as bullshit. Interestingly, Trumps daughter, Ivanka, concurred with Barrs assessment.

Notably, numerous Republican lawmakers, such as Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., frantically sought pardons from Trump for their role in attempting to overturn the election. It goes without saying that people convinced of their innocence dont seek to be pardoned, and its old news now that many Republicans in Congress who knew better perversely embraced Trumps election lies.

There are a number of historical parallels to draw from as it relates to this horrid event. One that seems most evident is the fact that a large percentage of the anarchists who journeyed to the nations capital on Jan. 6, 2021, are rabid white supremacists.

These were men and women who were inspired and motivated by a fellow white supremacist who was unable to garner the votes of most nonwhite citizens, failed to successfully win re-election and thus, sought to overthrow the government and dismantle democracy.

There has been a long history of this sort of activity in America.

Perhaps Cheneys most iconic statement made during the opening night of the hearings was the following: I say this to my Republican colleagues who are defending the indefensible, there will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.

She spoke truth to power here.

Elwood Watson Ph.D. is a professor of history, black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. He is also an author and public speaker, and his column is syndicated through Cagle Cartoons. Click here for previous columns. Follow him on Twitter: @bleachbred. The opinions expressed are his own.

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Elwood Watson: In Liz Cheney, Liberals Find a Conservative They Can Laud - Noozhawk