A lawyer for Thomas previously said the activist wouldn't be willing to testify. The January 6 panel published text messages between her and former White House chief of staff MarkMeadows, in which she urged him to fight harder to challenge the election's results.

The committee requested testimony from Thomas in June, around the same time as news reports of her communications with White House officials and informal advisers began to circulate.

There are lines that shouldn't be crossed, but those were the words of a panel member on CBS' "Face the Nation."

It was crossed when Clarence Thomas dissented in a case where Congress was trying to get documents that might involve his own wife.

Clarence Thomas supported Trump in his attempt to block the panel from getting access to White House records. Thomas was the only justice who was in favor of the injunction.

In the CNN interview and also in an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," Cheney detailed her topTakeaway from the committee's most recent public hearing and laid out what she thought were the panel's goals going forward

The panel is looking at whether or not we need enhanced criminal penalties for the kind of activity Donald Trump did when he tried to pressure the Georgia officials, according to Cheney.

According to Cheney, the panel has seen an increase in the amount of information and the number of people who are coming forward in recent weeks. Hutchinson's testimony has been seen as a turning point in the investigation, particularly her statement that Trump urged the Secret Service to remove security magnetometers to let in people with weapons because "they're not here to hurt me."

Cassidy Hutchinson will go down in history as a hero, and she never sought to be one, according to Adam Kinzinger, Cheney's fellow Republican on the panel. She tells the truth with courage more than most men in politics today.

When asked if she thought the former president committed a crime, Cheney said it was up to the Justice Department to make the decision.

She said on CNN that they had not decided if they would make criminal referrals. We are definitely looking at that.

The Department of Justice is very focused on what is the largest criminal investigation in American history.

Trump and his allies in Congress are backing a challenge to Cheney in August. Cheney was criticized by Trump for her role on the committee.

Cheney said there was "no question" that losing reelection would be worth it.

She said that if she had to choose between keeping her seat in the House of Representatives or protecting the constitution, she would choose the truth.

Jake Tapper's last name was incorrect in the earlier report.