House Republicans vote to keep Liz Cheney among leaders to berate Trump loyalists



[ad_1]

Kevin McCarthy also denounced the dismantling of Marjorie Taylor Greene’s committees.

House Republicans on Wednesday voted to keep Representative Liz Cheney in the GOP leadership despite her vote to impeach former President Donald Trump last month, with a strong majority in the conference rejecting the challenge by Trump allies to punish the Republican of Wyoming.

The conference voted 145-61 by secret ballot, after members spent hours voicing their frustrations over Cheney’s vote, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s past support for conspiracy theories and conference leadership by parliamentary minority leader Kevin McCarthy after Trump’s defeat.

“We really had a great vote tonight and a great time tonight to explain what we’re going to do in the future, as well as making it clear that we are not going to be divided and that we are not going to participate. a situation where people can choose any member of leadership, ”Cheney told reporters after the meeting.“ It was a very resounding recognition that we have to move forward together and that we have to move forward in a way. that helps us to come back. “

In remarks to her colleagues, the Republican House Conference Speaker did not apologize for voting to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan.6 Capitol riot, and praised the referendum on her position , after a week-long campaign by Trump’s staunchest supporters to oust her. of the conference and recruit a main challenge to defeat her next year.

McCarthy, who has been criticized by her colleagues for changing statements about Trump’s responsibility in storming Capitol Hill, endorsed Cheney and encouraged Republicans to keep her on the leadership team.

Cheney was also supported by other Republicans at the conference, including Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., One of nine other Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, according to a source close to the conference.

She was criticized by other conference attendees, including Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., Who likened Cheney’s support for impeachment to seeing a girlfriend cheer the other team on in a football, a remark that was not well received by women at the conference, according to a source familiar with the comments.

Rep. Tom Rice, RS.C., a Tory who surprised Republicans by voting to impeach Trump, questioned McCarthy’s decision to travel to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the former president last week.

GOP leaders emerged from the meeting describing a united front, even as fault lines remain over how to position the party with Trump out of office, but potentially hoping for a White House race in 2024.

“The # 1 thing that happened at this conference was unity. People were able to express their differences, people were able to focus,” McCarthy told reporters.

Greene, who has come under intense criticism for his past comments promoting conspiracy theories of school shootings and QAnon, apologized to members for the remarks and expressed regret for some of the comments past, a decision that was appreciated by some members of the room.

The besieged MP received a standing ovation from about half of the conference, according to a source in the room.

McCarthy rejected Democrats’ calls for Greene to be removed from the House education and budget committees due to controversy, but criticized Democrats for rejecting his proposal to place her on the House Committee instead. small enterprises. The House will move forward with a resolution from Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., To remove Greene from these committees.

Following the meeting, the California Republican leader repeatedly denounced conspiracy theories that Greene allegedly promoted. The Georgia Republican has yet to repudiate her remarks made in public, and instead dubbed on Twitter, accusing Democrats of targeting her on her race and religious beliefs. She also bragged about raising over $ 100,000 on Wednesday amid the backlash.

“I want to see her do it on Twitter and in public, though. I think that would be a good idea,” R-Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw said of Greene’s apology.



[ad_2]

Source link