Rep Liz Cheney (R-WY), Conference Chair (#3 position in the GOP House Leadership) and, of course, a legislator with far right credentials and a former VP for a Dad, has to deal with some hyenas:
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., on Tuesday faced down a group of GOP Freedom Caucus critics who complained about her public support for Dr. Anthony Fauci and her support for Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s primary opponent.
Cheney, chair of the House GOP Conference, defended Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, during a closed-door conference meeting, according to a source familiar with her remarks.
On May 12, Cheney tweeted: “Dr. Fauci is one of the finest public servants we have ever had. He is not a partisan. His only interest is saving lives. We need his expertise and his judgment to defeat this virus. All Americans should be thanking him. Every day.” [NBC News]
Rep Gaetz studying a script for his bit part in Endgame. He’ll be playing a dead body.
Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who should surely be acting in community theater rather than wasting his time in the House of Representatives, doesn’t seem repentant:
Liz Cheney has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against @realDonaldTrump and his agenda.
House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair.
Liz Cheney should step down or be removed. #MAGA
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) July 21, 2020
Steve Benen marvels:
In other words, while going after Cheney for failing to toe a pro-Trump line to their satisfaction, these far-right lawmakers pointed to an instance in which Cheney and Trump were aligned.
And while all of this internecine drama is interesting on its own — it’s not common for House Republicans to go after one of their own far-right leaders like this — let’s not miss the forest for the trees. Fifteen weeks from Election Day, Republicans have no platform, no policy agenda, no coherent vision, and no accomplishments to run on. They’re behind in the polls, facing poor odds, and confronting the possibility of a Democratic sweep.
It’s against this backdrop that several House GOP members are focusing their criticisms on one of their own leaders, who doesn’t appear to have done anything especially notable to earn their ire.
But I think Benen misses the key point: Cheney endorsed an expert. Remember, the Republicans, and especially the Freedom Caucus Tea Party members, can’t stand experts, because they might say something that infringes of their absolute freedoms.
Yeah.
Cheney spat right in the Holy Water of the Freedom Caucus, and it’s no surprise that Gaetz, et al, jumped in outrage.
From OnTheIssues.
I wonder how much longer Cheney, who’s otherwise a far right conservative, will remain in the Republican Party? It must be galling to discover your supposed ideological bedmates are actually mad as hatters. Or is she just hooked on the power and will overlook their, ah, warts?
And for Gaetz, et al, is this just squalling at the blasphemy, or is this also a RINO attempt, a chance to move up the political ladder?
