Top Democrat: ‘House Republicans have definitively become a full-blown cult’

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said on Thursday that his GOP counterparts “have definitely become a full-blown cult.” 

During an appearance on CNN’s “New Day,” Jeffries told host Brianna Keilar that it was “shocking” the way some House Republicans were massively downplaying the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, calling them “out of control.”

Jeffries also said that it was hypocritical of the GOP to support law enforcement politically and legislatively while going against accounts of police officers and video footage that shows a pro-Trump mob physically assaulting multiple officers while trying to overtake the Capitol. Jeffries noted that more than 150 police officers were seriously injured during the insurrection.

“House Republicans have definitively become a full-blown cult. They have chosen to place Party over patriotism. They have chosen the big lie over the rule of law. They’ve chosen autocracy over democracy,” @RepJeffries says. pic.twitter.com/oMCyKcNm7f

— New Day (@NewDay) May 13, 2021

“House Republicans have definitively become a full-blown cult. They have chosen to place Party over patriotism. They have chosen the big lie over the rule of law. They’ve chosen autocracy over democracy,” Jeffries said. 

The New York Democrat said Republicans continue to “perpetrate the big lie” that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, resulting in the defeat of former President Trump.

Jeffries also addressed a report that Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga.) yelled at Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) after exiting the House chamber this week and accused the New York lawmaker of supporting terrorists.  

Jeffries called on the House Ethics Committee to look into the matter.

“Well she is certainly engaged in threatening behavior, and I think ultimately this is something that may have to be evaluated by the Ethics Committee. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez has shown tremendous restraint and should be commended in that regard because it appears that the so-called congresswoman from Georgia is stalking her,” Jeffries said. 

Jeffries’s appearance came the morning after Republicans voted overwhelmingly to oust Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from her leadership role as chairwoman of the House Republican Conference over her repeated criticisms of Trump and refusing to perpetuate the notion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. 

Cheney was also one of the 10 Republicans that voted to impeach Trump for inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

Cheney is expected to be replaced by moderate Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a Trump loyalist, by the end of the week.