Mitch McConnell
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger / Bloomberg
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger / Bloomberg
Senate Republican Party leader Mitch McConnell took the rare step of thinking about an internal conflict between House Republicans, praising Rep. Liz Cheney for her “deep convictions” and “courage” as she faces attacks from allies of former President Donald Trump.
Cheney, the third leader of the House Republican Party, has been attacked for his vote to accuse the former president, as well as for his strong criticism of his words and actions.
“Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and the courage to act on it,” McConnell said in a statement. “She is an important leader in our party and in our nation. I am grateful for her service and look forward to continuing to work with her on the crucial issues facing our nation. “
McConnell’s support for Cheney is a clear sign of the Republican Party’s struggle over how much influence Trump will continue to exert even after losing the White House to Democrat Joe Biden and the Republican Party losing control of the Senate. Trump’s actions to stop the crowd that stormed the Capitol last month, for which he was indicted by the U.S. House for the second time without precedent, has divided Republicans in a way that few of the political battles of the last four years they did.
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It is presented before a meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, of House Republicans convened by its leader, Kevin McCarthy. Several lawmakers and aides said Cheney’s role as president of the Republican conference is sure to come.
Some members, including Ohio Representative Jim Jordan and Arizona Representative Andy Biggs, have called for Cheney to be removed from her leadership position. Last week, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who has been closely linked to Trump, went to his home state of Cheney, Wyoming, for a rally denouncing her. Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., phoned the event in Cheyenne.
But it’s not clear they voted enough Republicans to oust Cheney.
McCarthy has said that while he still supports her, he must respond to the conference. Any vote to withdraw it would be private and no one on either side of the dispute would know who did what.
“It’s never been a big betrayal”
Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, was the highest-ranking Republican who called for Trump’s removal, saying “there has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States.” United States of his office and of his oath in the Constitution “.
Photographer: Al Drago / Bloomberg
Cheney voted against Trump’s ouster in late 2019, but has had other public breakups with the now president and his Republican House supporters ahead of last month’s ouster vote. These included disagreements over foreign policy, as Trump dealt with the coronavirus pandemic and his support for a major challenger to Kentucky Republican Rep. Tom Massie.
Cheney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on McConnell’s statements.
Some of the other nine House Republicans who voted to accuse Trump have also been under pressure from the party and Republican Party officials in their home states. They, as well as Cheney, could face major challenges.
McConnell also issued a statement on another issue facing McCarthy and House Republicans: the provocative stances of Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. House Democrats are threatening to force a vote to remove Greene from his committee duties if Republicans do not discipline him.
Although he did not name her specifically, McConnell said, “False lies and conspiracy theories are cancer for the Republican Party and for our country.”