House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) on Wednesday rejected calls to resign from her leadership post — prompted by her support for impeaching President Donald Trump over last week’s riots at the U.S. Capitol.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Cheney told Politico reporter Melanie Zanona. “This is a vote of conscience. It’s one where there are different views in our conference.”
“But our nation is facing an unprecedented, since the civil war, constitutional crisis,” she added. “That’s what we need to be focused on. That’s where our efforts and attention need to be.”
Cheney’s remarks come in response to calls for her to step down from her leadership post issued by Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
“We ought to have a second vote,” Jordan told reporters. “The conference ought to vote on that.”
On Tuesday, Cheney became the highest ranking House GOP member to come out in support of impeaching President Trump, placing her at odds with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“On January 6, 2021 a violent mob attacked the United States Capitol to obstruct the process of our democracy and stop the counting of presidential electoral votes. This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic,” Cheney said in a statement.
“Much more will become clear in coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President,” the lawmaker added. “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.”
“I will vote to impeach the President,” she concluded.
In addition to Cheney, the following House GOP members support impeachment: Dan Newhouse (WA), Adam Kinzinger (IL), Fred Upton (MI), Jaime Herrera (WA), and John Katko (NY).