The class was organized and co-taught by UVA Law professor Payvand Ahdout, who studies separation of powers issues, and Timothy Heaphy, a 1991 School of Law graduate, former U.S. attorney and former UVA counsel. He stepped away from his UVA job in 2021 to lead the House of Representatives’ investigation into the attack on the Capitol.
The Karsh Center for Law and Democracy sponsored the course.
The first night of the course featured former Wyoming U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, one of two Republicans who sat on the congressional committee investigating the attack. Cheney, who subsequently lost her House seat in a Republican primary in April 2022, served as vice chair of the committee. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, came to UVA in March as a professor of practice with the UVA Center for Politics.
“She was very candid in the way she spoke to us, but there was also such gravitas,” Baltzegar said. “She gave up her family’s political dynasty to do the right thing, and that really set the tone for the rest of the course.”
When Heaphy stepped away from his position as UVA general counsel to lead the investigation, he found no shortage of “all-stars” willing to join his team of investigators.
“I had an embarrassment of riches, good lawyers who were willing to leave law firm partnerships, assistant U.S. attorney positions and other congressional committee jobs, because everybody felt the same,” Heaphy said. “They felt like this is a moment in history that needs a careful response, and being a part of the team would be an honor.”
Many of those investigators showed up to address the class, along with at least one more member of the congressional committee, prominent staffers and a Washington Post investigative reporter. U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar, a Democrat representing California’s 33rd District, also spoke to the class.
With just six days – 12 hours of discussion – to impart lessons learned from the investigation, Heaphy said he hopes students came away with an appreciation for the risk that comes with living lives of consequence.
“There’s risk to raise your hand, but it’s worth it because without doing things that matter, you’re having less of an impact,” Heaphy said. “I want them to take away that there are times in your life and your career when you should take risks to do the right thing.”
Heaphy is now a partner at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, and has taught two Law School courses connected to the events of Jan. 6.
The small size of the class – and an implicit confidentiality agreement – allowed the students and speakers to ask and speak candidly about their findings and the incident’s connections to current events still unfolding in the news, Ahdout and others said.
