The Republican National Committee voted to formally censure GOP Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois due to their involvement with the House panel investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. As the only two Republicans on the panel, Cheney and Kinzinger have seen rebukes from their fellow party members who are desperate to move on from the domestic terrorist attack incited by Donald Trump that saw six people die and more than 150 injured.
While Republican leaders initially condemned the violent insurrection attempt, they have since backpedaled, dismissing the severity of the attack and working to bury the House’s investigation of Donald Trump’s role in fomenting it. The censure resolution initially called for the committee to “expel” Cheney and Kinzinger, but was later demoted to censuring.
In a shocking passage, the resolution reads “Cheney and Kinzinger are participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse.”
Because beating cops with fire hydrants and ripping apart congressional offices is “legitimate political discourse”? It’s a surprising (yet not) new low for a political party refusing to untangle itself from its traitorous leader, conspiracy theories, and extremist groups. Also … they know we all watched the insurrection happen live right? We’ve seen countless hours of video, photos, in-person testimony … who do they think they’re kidding?
Both Cheney and Kinzinger addressed their censure on Twitter, which amounts to little more than a ceremonial slap on the wrist. While the censure includes a withdrawal of support from Cheney in favor of pro-Trump candidate Harriet Hageman, Cheney has already raised several millions more in campaign funding. The stakes are decidedly lower for Kinzinger, who is not seeking re-election.
Kinzinger tweeted, “I have no regrets about my decision to uphold my oath of office and defend the Constitution. I will continue to focus my efforts on standing for truth and working to fight the political matrix that’s led us to where we find ourselves today.”
Cheney called the censure “a sad day for the party of Lincoln,” adding “If the price of being willing to tell the truth and get to the bottom of what happened on January 6 and make sure that those who are responsible are held accountable is a censure, then I am absolutely going to continue to stand up for what I knew was right.”
Only a handful of Republicans spoke out against the censure, including Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who tweeted, “Shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol. Honor attaches to Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for seeking truth even when doing so comes at great personal cost.” The RNC chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, is Romney’s niece.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who is also on the committee, said “their party has degenerated into a cult to the former president, unwilling to acknowledge the truth, and I think they condemn themselves with their resolution.” He tweeted the following:
(via New York Times, image: Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)
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