Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the third-ranking House Republican member, says she won’t be pushed out by fellow GOP lawmakers for backing the impeachment of President Trump.
“I’m not going anywhere,” said Cheney, the House Republican Conference chairwoman.
“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. That’s what we need to be focused on. That’s where our efforts and attention need to be,” Cheney told reporters at the Capitol as the House debated the article of impeachment against Trump for helping foment violent protests in the building on Jan. 6.
The congresswoman, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is under fire from House Freedom Caucus members to step down from her leadership position. She is among at least six Republicans supporting the impeachment of the president.
However, a petition is circulating among the House Republican Conference seeking signatures for a letter of resolution demanding Cheney’s resignation may gain steam.
One Republican lawmaker who does not support Cheney’s resignation from leadership but told the Washington Examiner on the condition of anonymity that he does not think the Wyoming Republican will politically survive this challenge from within the conference.
“She’s destroying the Constitution because she’s redefining what impeachment is. Impeachment is now the majority of what the House thinks he should be impeached,” the lawmaker said. “Every argument she lectured us on last week. She’s now violating this week, and people are pissed are about that. And I think enough people are pissed that I don’t think she will be able to stay on.”