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January 1, RNC Moves to Censure Cheney, Kinzinger

Published

2 years ago

February 5, 2022

The Republican National Committee (RNC) moved to censure Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), unanimously passing a resolution to formally rebuke the lawmakers.

The measure criticizes Cheney and Kinzinger for their involvement in the Jan. 6 select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

“This is not about them being anti-Trump,” said Harmeet Dhillon, national committeeperson from California and one of several dozen sponsors of the resolution.

“There are plenty of other people in the party who are anti-Trump whose names don’t appear in the resolution. These two took specific action to defy party leadership.”

The resolution is less severe than longtime Trump ally David Bossie initially proposed, which called for Cheney and Kinzinger to be ousted from the House Republican Conference.

Both lawmakers issued statements responding to the measure.

“The leaders of the Republican Party have made themselves willing hostages to a man who admits he tried to overturn a presidential election and suggests he would pardon Jan. 6 defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditious conspiracy,” Cheney said.

“I’m a constitutional conservative and I do not recognize those in my party who have abandoned the Constitution to embrace Donald Trump. History will be their judge. I will never stop fighting for our constitutional republic. No matter what.”

Kinzinger said he is now “even more committed to fighting conspiracies and lies.”

“I’ve been a member of the Republican Party before Donald Trump entered the field,” he said. “My values and core beliefs remain the same and have not wavered. I’m a conservative who believes in truth, freedom, and upholding the Constitution of the United States.”

Several Republicans criticized the effort, including Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT).

“Shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol,” Romney said.

“Honor attaches to Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for seeking truth even when doing so comes at great personal cost.”