Kinzinger on Cheney removal: History will call this ‘low point of the Republican Party’

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) condemned the House GOP caucus’s decision to remove Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) as their chair on Wednesday, calling it a “low point” for the party.

In a lengthy statement released on Twitter, Kinzinger wrote that the GOP would “solidify our position as a once honorable party that was marred by lies” as a result of the voice vote at Wednesday’s GOP meeting that led to Cheney’s ouster.

“Liz may lose, and MAGA-lago may celebrate. But I predict that the history books of the future will not celebrate. They will say this was the low point of the Republican Party. The loser former guy, who has thin skin and snowflake like personality will solidify his momentary leadership, and we will solidify our position as a once honorable party that was marred by lies,” tweeted Kinzinger.

8) will solidify his momentary leadership, and we will solidify our position as a once honorable party that was marred by lies. My hope is that America awakens to recognize there are many that feel left behind that trump manipulates, but to help them we need…

— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) May 12, 2021

Kinzinger also added that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) “wrongly” assumes that centrists such as Kinzinger will support him for Speaker, while adding that the efforts to oust Cheney were part of McCarthy’s plan to cozy up to the right wing of the GOP and secure his political future.

“Kevin wants to be speaker. He made the determination that if he appeased the Trump crowd, he could raise money and take the credit, when he was up for speaker,” said Kinzinger.

“So he changed his tune and made the trek to Mar-A-Lago, in essence reviving the former Guy, he also (wrongly) assumes that people like me will vote for him for speaker, but the legislative terrorists in the freedom club wouldn’t, so he needs to be all in with them. It’s the cynical play that gives politicians the reputation we have,” Kinzinger said.

3) he also (wrongly) assumes that people like me will vote for him for speaker, but the legislative terrorists in the freedom club wouldn’t, so he needs to be all in with them. It’s the cynical play that gives politicians the reputation we have…

— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) May 12, 2021

The statements are Kinzinger’s latest volley against former President Trump and the minority leader, whom the Illinois Republican reportedly sought briefly to remove from leadership in the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Kinzinger abandoned that plan, he said, after realizing what little support there was in the GOP caucus for such a move.

His remarks immediately followed the ouster of Cheney as caucus chair Wednesday morning, after which the Wyoming congresswoman vowed to work against any future bids by Trump to return to the White House.

Kinzinger also revealed on Monday that he warned McCarthy in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that the GOP’s efforts to discredit the results of the 2020 election would lead to violence.

“A few days before Jan 6, our GOP members had a conference call. I told Kevin that his words and our party’s actions would lead to violence on January 6th,” Kinzinger tweeted Monday.

“Kevin dismissively responded with ‘ok Adam, operator next question.’ And we got violence,” he added.