The camp of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) called the weekend move by the Wyoming Republican Party to no longer recognize her as a member of their party “laughable.”
In a tight 31-29 vote on Saturday, the state’s Republican Central Committee’s decision is mostly symbolic as it will not strip away any power from the lawmaker. Still, Cheney is up for re-election next year, and the vote reinforces the party’s disapproval of Cheney.
But Cheney spokesman Jeremy Adler said in a statement that it is “laughable to suggest Liz is anything but a committed conservative Republican,” according to CBS News.
“She is bound by her oath to the Constitution,” Adler said. “Sadly, a portion of the Wyoming GOP leadership has abandoned that fundamental principle, and instead allowed themselves to be held hostage to the lies of a dangerous and irrational man.”
Cheney, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, is one of two Republicans serving on a House select committee that is investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
During the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2021, Trump called for Cheney’s removal, saying “hopefully they’ll get rid of her with the next election.”
Cheney penned an op-ed in early May for The Washington Post titled, “The GOP is at a turning point. History is watching us.”
“The Republican Party is at a turning point, and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution,” Cheney wrote.
In September, Trump endorsed Wyoming lawyer Harriet Hageman in her expected primary challenge against Cheney. “I strongly endorse Republican House of Representatives Candidate Harriet Hageman from Wyoming who is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican, Liz Cheney,” Trump said in a statement.
“Harriet is a fourth-generation daughter of Wyoming, a very successful attorney, and has the support and respect of a truly great U.S. Senator, Wyoming’s own Cynthia Lummis. Harriet Hageman adores the Great State of Wyoming, is strong on Crime and Borders, powerfully supports the Second Amendment, loves our Military and our Vets, and will fight for Election Integrity and Energy Independence (which [President Joe] Biden has already given up). Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First. Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney. Make America Great Again!” Trump added.
Before she was booted from her chairman post in the House Republican Conference, Cheney expressed support for impeaching Trump over the Capitol riot.
“The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack,” Cheney said at the time. “Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.”