Kinzinger hits GOP on ‘operation #coverupJan6’ over Cheney ouster plot

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) on Wednesday sharply criticized House Republicans for what appears to be an imminent effort to oust Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) from House Republican leadership, calling the efforts “#coverupJan6.”

“Every GOP member of Congress needs to go on the record as to how they will vote on @RepLizCheney in operation #coverupJan6 and concerned donors should take notes,” tweeted Kinzinger, who has repeatedly defended the House Republican Conference chairwoman while criticizing former President Trump. 

“I will vote for Liz,” Kinzinger added.

Every GOP member of Congress needs to go on the record as to how they will vote on @RepLizCheney in operation #coverupJan6 and concerned donors should take notes. I will vote for Liz.

— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) May 5, 2021

Cheney is facing harsh pushback from the Republican Party for speaking out against Trump.

The efforts to remove Cheney from her leadership position are being supported by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.).

“There is no way that Liz will be conference chair by month’s end,” a key McCarthy ally told The Hill earlier this week.

Kinzinger agreed with Cheney’s communications director on Twitter on Tuesday, saying the problem Republicans find with Cheney is that she will not say the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent or “whitewash” the Capitol riot.

100 percent. This IS THE ISSUE https://t.co/1n0VAVPdxf

— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) May 4, 2021

Many Republicans, including Scalise, are calling for Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to take Cheney’s leadership position.

Cheney said in an op-ed for The Washington Post that she will not stop speaking out about what she believes in.

“We must be brave enough to defend the basic principles that underpin and protect our freedom and our democratic process. I am committed to doing that, no matter what the short-term political consequences might be,” Cheney wrote.