Conservatives lash out at Liz Cheney over Trump criticism

House Republicans facing electoral uncertainty in vember turned on one ar in a private meeting on Tuesday, as a small group of conservative lawmakers confronted House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney over what y said was disloyalty to President Donald Trump.

lawmakers called out Cheney for her support of Dr. Anthony Fauci, nation’s top infectious-disease expert, and for supporting a primary challenger to Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., according to people familiar with closed-door meeting who spoke on condition of anymity to discuss it. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio ted Cheney's criticism of Trump on defense and foreign policy and accused her of t supporting president on his coronavirus response.

Leing criticism was Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who recounted confrontation on his podcast, “Hot Takes with Matt Gaetz,” shortly after it happened. He also tweeted about Cheney, who is daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, and said she should step down from her post as he of GOP conference.

“Liz Cheney has worked behind scenes (and w in public) against @realDonaldTrump and his nda,” Gaetz tweeted. “House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair. Liz Cheney should step down or be removed. #MAGA.”

Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. retweeted Gaetz's mess and wrote, “We alrey have one Mitt Romney, we don’t need ar... we also don’t need endless wars she vocates for.” Utah Sen. Mitt Romney has been one of only Senate Republicans to regularly separate himself from Trump and voted to convict him on one article of impeachment earlier this year.

confrontation comes as president has struggled with a response to coronavirus pandemic and Republicans in Congress have been somewhat split on his handling of crisis. As Trump has pushed to quickly reopen ecomy and played down importance of coronavirus testing, some have indicated y disagree with him on those points. Ors such as Gaetz and Jordan have rushed to defend him.

Cheney, R-Wyo., didn’t back down in meeting and did t apologize for breaking with Trump, according to one of people familiar with exchange. At a GOP news conference later in day, she told reporters that she “absolutely” still supports Fauci, who she said she has kwn for many years. She also ted that Trump Jr. is “t a member of Republican conference.”

She said she takes her position seriously and h a “great conversation” with Massie after conference meeting.“I think beauty of our system, and frankly magnificence of this country and one of things that founders fought for, and that so many throughout history have died for, is our freedom of speech and right for all of us to have this kind of healthy exchange and debate,” Cheney said.

Cheney has shot up to . 3 GOP leership spot since she was elected in 2016. While she has voted mostly in step with president, she has sometimes differed with him on foreign policy as he and his allies have argued against “endless wars.” She has rarely criticized Trump by name but has separated from him on that issue and ors, including pandemic.

In a June tweet, for example, Cheney alluded to Trump’s frequent refusal to wear a mask by featuring a photo of her masked far. “Dick Cheney says WEAR A MASK. #realmenwearmasks,” she wrote.

Republican leer Kevin McCarthy stood alongside Cheney at afteron news conference and said he was hored to have her as conference chair. “She does an amazing job,” he said.

In dition to Gaetz and Jordan, Cheney’s critics at meeting included Texas Reps. Chip Roy and Louie Gohmert, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs and Massie himself. Cheney h donated money to Massie’s primary opponent, Todd McMurtry. Massie won that primary in June.

Roy specifically criticized Cheney for her support of Fauci and asked her “to consider full breth of research out re on coronavirus,” according to a person close to Roy. person spoke on condition of anymity to discuss private conversation.All members who criticized Cheney are members of hard-right House Freedom Caucus that often clashed with leership when Republicans were in majority.

(Im Credit: AP)