Liz Cheney Votes Against Russian War Crimes Bill by Mistake

Representative Liz Cheney mistakenly joined six other Republicans in voting against a bill that would require President Joe Biden's administration to detail efforts to collect evidence of potential war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine on Wednesday.

The bill, known as H.R. 7276 or the Ukraine Invasion War Crimes Deterrence and Accountability Act, passed the House of Representatives easily with a vote of 418 in favor to 7 against.

A spokesperson for Cheney told The Hill newspaper that she had voted against the bill by mistake. She has already informed the House that she had intended to vote in favor of it, according to CNN's Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju.

It is not entirely clear why Cheney voted against the bill when she was in favor of it, but it may be a case of simply pressing the wrong button.

It is not unknown for members of the House to sometimes vote the wrong way by accident. The House has used an electronic voting system since 1973 and a new system was fitted in 2018. Most recorded votes are taken using this technology.

The electronic voting machines require members to place their personal congressional voter ID cards into a slot and then press one of the buttons - marked "Yea," "Nay" and "Present" - to register their vote.

The voting machines continue to have what could be described as a 1970s look and it appears to be easy for lawmakers to press the wrong button.

A July 19, 2014 article published by The New York Times reported that there had been 112 such mistakes between the start of 2011 and the time of publication.

However, mistaken votes happen relatively rarely and lawmakers generally reveal when they have voted by mistake and correct the record.

Newsweek has asked Representative Liz Cheney's office for comment.

The six other Republican members who voted against the Ukraine Invasion War Crimes Deterrence and Accountability Act were Representatives Andy Biggs of Arizona, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

Cheney represents Wyoming's at-large congressional district and strongly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine when it began on February 24, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of launching "an unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine" and calling for "crippling sanctions."

The Ukraine Invasion War Crimes Deterrence and Accountability Act would require the Biden administration to explain the process it will use to collect evidence of possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

The administration would also be tasked with submitting a report to Congress about the process for a domestic, foreign or international court on the matter if such a body sought information from the U.S. on possible war crimes.

The Ukrainian government has accused Russian forces of committing "genocide" in the city of Bucha and alleged that the Russian military executed, raped and tortured civilians.