Rep. Liz Cheney says Republicans must choose between the truth or Trump, in a piece for The Washington Post
“Trump is seeking to unravel critical elements of our constitutional structure that make democracy work — confidence in the result of elections and the rule of law. No other American president has ever done this,” Cheney writes. “The Republican Party is at a turning point, and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution.”
“History is watching. Our children are watching,” Cheney writes. “We must be brave enough to defend the basic principles that underpin and protect our freedom and our democratic process. I am committed to doing that, no matter what the short-term political consequences might be.”
“Elise Stefanik is a far superior choice, and she has my COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement for GOP Conference Chair,” Trump wrote in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. “Elise is a tough and smart communicator!”
Cheney’s continued opposition to Trump and his lies about the 2020 election have touched off the push to oust her. Her team has argued the episode speaks to larger issues about the future of the GOP.
“This moment is about much more than a House leadership fight,” Cheney spokesman Jeremy Adler told CNN.
In an interview with Fox News last week, McCarthy called for a potential commission to broaden its purview to examine other examples of political violence at the Capitol and elsewhere. But Cheney disagreed.
“I think it’s very important that the January 6 commission focus on what happened on January 6 and what led to that attack,” Cheney told reporters during an April 26 news conference at the House GOP retreat in Orlando.
Comments like those and others she made critical of Trump and his influence on the party during the Orlando retreat appeared to have worsened Cheney’s position among House Republicans. McCarthy said on Fox News earlier this week that GOP members are “concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair to carry out the message.”
Several GOP House members have since spoken publicly about their support for replacing Cheney with Stefanik, including Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 Republican in the House. Even allies like Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, have recently declined to answer questions about Cheney’s future in leadership.
McConnell refused to offer any support to Cheney when asked about her situation by a reporter on Wednesday.
“One-hundred percent of my focus is on stopping this new administration,” McConnell responded.
There are a number of former party leaders, however, who are indicating they are in Cheney’s corner. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, tweeted his support for Cheney on Tuesday.
“Every person of conscience draws a line beyond which they will not go: Liz Cheney refuses to lie,” Romney said.
This story has been updated with additional details Wednesday.
CNN’s Annie Grayer, Daniella Diaz and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.