Mitch McConnell’s PAC Donates to Rep. Liz Cheney

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) leadership PAC, the Bluegrass Committee, made a contribution to House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY), the highest-ranking House Republican who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump.

Rob Pyers, research director for the campaign information source California Target Book, highlighted the donation Friday to Cheney, which was one of only two donations the PAC made in January. The other contribution was to the $105,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).

McConnell’s contribution to Cheney comes as the Wyoming Republican continues to face backlash for her vote to impeach Trump over the deadly January 6 U.S. Capitol riot. Despite drawing ire from conservatives, House Republicans voted on February 3 for Cheney to keep her position as GOP conference chair. Before the vote, the congresswoman defended her decision, telling CNN, “I won’t apologize.” Later, when asked if regretted her vote, she replied, “Absolutely not.”

Earlier this month, the House voted 232 to 197 to impeach Trump. Cheney was one of 10 GOP House members to back the measure. The former president was ultimately acquitted in the Senate’s impeachment trial by a vote of 57 to 43, falling short of the 67 guilty votes required to convict. Seven Senate Republicans voted to convict: Richard Burr (NC), Bill Cassidy (LA) Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Ben Sasse (NE), Pat Toomey (PA) and Mitt Romney (UT).

Though McConnell voted to acquit Trump, his not guilty vote was followed by a blistering statement attacking the former president as “disgraceful.”

“There is no question that Trump is morally and practically responsible for what happened on January 6,″ said McConnell in a Senate floor speech. “He watched happily on television as the chaos unfolded.”

On Tuesday, Trump hit back in a statement at McConnell, branding him “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack.”

“The Republican Party can never again be respected or strong with political ‘leaders’ like Sen. Mitch McConnell at its helm. McConnell’s dedication to business as usual, status quo policies, together with his lack of political insight, wisdom, skill, and personality, has rapidly driven him from Majority Leader to Minority Leader, and it will only get worse,” the former president said.

“It was a complete election disaster in Georgia, and certain other swing states. McConnell did nothing and will never do what needs to be done in order to secure a fair and just electoral system into the future. He doesn’t have what it takes, never did, and never will,” he added.