At an event held at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) criticized recent statements from House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) questioning the prospect of a House GOP majority supporting further aid for Ukraine.
Throughout that country’s ongoing war against Russia following a February invasion by Putin’s military forces, the U.S. has provided tens of billions of dollars worth of support. U.S. aid has consisted of weapons, provisions for civilian law enforcement officials, and humanitarian support. If Republicans win control of the House in the midterm elections, McCarthy could become the House Speaker, and in discussion with Punchbowl News, he said: “I think people are gonna be sitting in a recession and they’re not going to write a blank check to Ukraine. They just won’t do it… And then there’s the things [the Biden administration] is not doing domestically. Not doing the border and people begin to weigh that. Ukraine is important, but at the same time it can’t be the only thing they do and it can’t be a blank check.”
Obviously, the Biden administration isn’t simply ignoring the southern border. Expulsions of migrants under rules from the pandemic era that a court directed remain in place are continuing. In addition, issues surrounding the southern border aren’t even realistically connected to the way Republican politicians describe what’s happening. “Joe Biden and Mark Kelly, they laid out the welcome mat,” Arizona Republican candidate Blake Masters alleged at an October Senate debate. “They surrendered our southern border. They’ve given it up to the Mexican drug cartels.” Obviously, that’s nonsense. Polling in the Arizona Senate race suggests incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly has a slight lead, although the outcome isn’t certain.
“I don’t know that I can say I was surprised, but I think it’s really disgraceful that today Minority Leader McCarthy suggested that if the Republicans get the majority back that we will not continue to provide support for the Ukrainians,” Cheney said this week. “What’s happening in Ukraine today shows, is that democracy must be better armed than tyranny.” Cheney won’t be returning to office in the next Congress after she lost her primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
“We’ve had very strong bipartisan support for Ukraine and Ukraine fighting against Russia,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), who is also leaving Congress, added on CNN. “What Kevin McCarthy said — maybe in his mind he actually did believe that all he was saying is, hey, we want to have some oversight in this… I guarantee you, first off, our evening friends on maybe a different news network are going to be talking about this constantly… You’re giving aid and comfort to the enemy, intentionally or unintentionally.” Kinzinger also tied McCarthy’s actions to the influence of people like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). Watch Cheney’s comments below:
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY): “I don’t know that I can say I was surprised, but I think it’s really disgraceful that today Minority Leader McCarthy suggested that if the Republicans get the majority back that we will not continue to provide support for the Ukrainians.” pic.twitter.com/F3i4XG7XSE
— The Recount (@therecount) October 19, 2022
