During a recent speech given for a public affairs school at the University of Minnesota, former GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney ripped the idea of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) becoming Speaker of the House, which has been floated as a possibility after a group of far-right Republicans sparked the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from that position. Jordan has received the support of Donald Trump as Republicans hash out who might next become the Speaker.
Cheney, known for her opposition to Trump’s lies about the 2020 election, pointed to Jordan’s obfuscation around what he knew about the threats heading into January 6, 2021, when mobs of then-President Trump’s supporters tried to violently — and potentially lethally — disrupt the basic processes of democracy. Jordan resisted ever testifying to the House committee that investigated the Capitol riot and events leading up to it, where Cheney served as vice chair. Democrats have pointed repeatedly to his subpoena defiance as he has, separately, clamored for information from various political targets of the Republicans now that his party has the majority in the House.
“There was a handful of people, of which he was the leader, who knew what Donald Trump had planned,” Cheney said, referring to Jordan. “Now somebody needs to ask Jim Jordan, ‘Why didn’t you report to the Capitol Police what you knew Donald Trump had planned? You were in those meetings at the White House.’ If the Republicans decide that Jim Jordan should be the Speaker of the House — and by the way, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think he’ll lose. But if they were to decide that, there would no longer be any possible way to argue that a group of elected Republicans could be counted on to defend the Constitution.”
Check out Cheney’s denunciation below:
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) warns House Republicans against electing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) as House Speaker:
“If they were to decide that, there would no longer be any possible way to argue that a group of elected Republicans could be counted on to defend the Constitution.” pic.twitter.com/RbunrtpAYE
— The Recount (@therecount) October 5, 2023
