On Eve Of Likely Ouster, GOP Rep. Liz Cheney Reiterates Criticism Of Trump’s Lies

On the eve of her likely ouster as House Republican Conference chair, Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) took to the House floor Tuesday to reiterate her condemnation of former President Donald Trump and his lies about a “stolen” election.

Cheney’s fellow House Republicans are expected to vote Wednesday to remove her from her leadership post because of her criticism of Trump and what she’s dubbed “THE BIG LIE.” Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), a staunch Trump ally, is expected to replace her.

Despite the looming threat of the vote, Cheney doubled down on her censure of Trump, saying in her speech that she would “not participate” in “ignoring the lie” he had perpetuated about a fraudulent election.

“This is not about policy. This is not about partisanship. This is about our duty as Americans. Remaining silent and ignoring the lie emboldens the liar. I will not participate in that,” she said.

Cheney added that Trump had “resumed his aggressive effort” to baselessly convince Americans that the November election results were fraudulent.

“Millions of Americans have been misled by the former president. They have heard only his words and not the truth as he continues to undermine our democratic process, sowing seeds of doubt about whether democracy works at all,” she said. 

Earlier this year, Cheney was the highest-ranking House Republican to vote to impeach Trump over his role in inciting the Jan. 6 riot by a mob of his supporters at the U.S. Capitol. 

“The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President,” Cheney said in a statement at the time.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois ― who, along with Cheney, was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Trump ― came to Cheney’s defense this week, saying she was being “run out” of her leadership role for “her consistency.”

“She said the exact same thing that [House Minority Leader] Kevin McCarthy said on January 6, which is Donald Trump is responsible” for the Capitol riot, Kinzinger told the National Press Club on Monday.

“I think when it comes down to it, what she is being removed for is making it uncomfortable and being consistent, and God bless her for having the consistency to tell the truth. Because history ― I’m going to tell you, in the long term ― is going to write very well about her,” he added.