Donald Trump won his case. The Republican Party withdrew Liz Cheney (Wyoming), after an internal vote by acclamation, his title of number three in the leadership of the conservative minority in the House of Representatives, Wednesday, May 12. This result was expected, given the irreconcilable positions defended by the leader of this minority, Kevin McCarthy (California), under pressure from the former tenant of the White House, and by the daughter of the former vice-president, Dick Cheney (2001-2009).
Since her vote in favor of the indictment of Donald Trump for his role in the attack led by some of his supporters against the Capitol on January 6 to block the certification of the results, Liz Cheney has camped on the denunciation of the “Big lie” that constitutes, according to her, the conspiracy theory hammered out by the former businessman. The latter, in fact, supports the idea that massive electoral fraud deprived him of his re-election. The position defended by the elected representative of Wyoming has earned him regular attacks and public insults by Donald Trump.
Again Tuesday, Liz Cheney spoke in the hemicycle to ensure that she does not ” [resterait] not stand still in silence while others lead our party down a path that abandons the rule of law and joins the former president’s crusade to undermine our democracy ”. After the Republican group’s verdict fell, after being booed by some of her peers, Liz Cheney persisted in promising to do “All that is in [son] power to ensure that the former president never approaches the Oval Office again ”.
Appeasement strategy
Initially harsh with Donald Trump for his attitude during the attack on Congress, Kevin McCarthy initially supported Liz Cheney, like a strong majority of elected Republicans, during an initial consultation by secret ballot, in February. But the pressure maintained by Donald Trump on the theme of the stolen election, in defiance of the facts, has gradually forced the leader of the Republican minority to change his mind and align himself without reservations with his positions, while, on the contrary, Liz Cheney isolated herself by her intransigence. Kevin McCarthy hopes to become the next House speaker if the Grand Old Party wins the midterm elections in November 2022.
“Keeping silent and ignoring the lie emboldens the liar”, had assured Liz Cheney, Tuesday evening. The strategy of appeasement vis-à-vis the former president, chosen by the most senior Republican officials to be able to focus their attacks on Joe Biden’s political choices, did not dissuade Donald Trump from giving up his conspiracy theory . Quite the contrary. In a press release published on May 10, he once again questioned the results in Michigan, while a controversial recount operation – which he fully supports, although it has no legal value – is already underway in Arizona.
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