‘Never A Greater Betrayal by a President’ — Cheney to Vote for Trump’s Impeachment
Blaming US President Donald Trump for last week's riot in Washington, D.C., Wyoming's lone U.S. Representative Liz Cheney says she will vote to impeach the president.
In a written statement released Tuesday, Cheney cited "a violent mob" that attacked the United States capitol to obstruct the democratic process.
"This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic," Cheney wrote adding, "Much more will become clear in the coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough.
"I will vote to impeach the president."
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Immediately following the riots, Cheney was quick to condemn Trump and did not mince words in saying his refusal to concede the election was a catalyst for the violence.
In an interview with Fox News last week, Cheney said last week's events will be a part of Trump's legacy.
On Tuesday, Cheney said that Trump, "summoned this mob, assembled this mob and lit the flame of this attack."
She added that Trump could have immediately intervened to stop the mob — but he didn't.
"There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the constitution."
Trump faces a single charge: Incitement of insurrection. He would be the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.
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Cheney has broken ranks with Trump on several occasions.
In December, she advocated for the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act.
In July she took to the floor of the chamber in support of the defense act and in doing so opposed Trump on two important fronts: the removal of Confederate names from military bases and opposing removing troops from Germany, Eastern Europe, and South Korea.
Likewise in December, Cheney said opposes the possible presidential pardoning of former intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden: "He is responsible for the largest and most damaging release of classified info in US history," she said. "He handed over US secrets to Russian and Chinese intelligence putting our troops and our nation at risk. Pardoning him would be unconscionable."
In September, she joined Republican and Democratic legislators in criticizing his comment about whether he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he lost the Nov. 3 presidential election, and instead would “have to see what happens."
Cheney responded to the comment in a Tweet: "The peaceful transfer of power is enshrined in our Constitution and fundamental to the survival of our Republic. America’s leaders swear an oath to the Constitution. We will uphold that oath."
In July, she issued a sharp rebuke at Trump's suggestion that the 2020 election be delayed, and in doing so, suggested that the Republican Party is "overwhelmingly" against the idea.
In May, she castigated Trump for repeating a discredited and false conspiracy theory about a former congressman who allegedly murdered a staff member nearly 20 years ago.
Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House, spoke to reporters and was quoted in the conservative National Review and other media about Trump's tweets about the unfounded claim that MSNBC "Morning Joe" host and former Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Florida, killed staff member Lori Klausutis in 2001.
In July, Cheney, found herself taking shots from the right, including insults lobbed by the president's son.
The news website Politico initially reported that members of the House Freedom Caucus "tore into" Cheney for "lobbing attacks at her for breaking with President Donald Trump, supporting Dr. Anthony Fauci and backing a primary opponent to one of their colleagues."
The president's oldest son Donald Trump, Jr., echoed Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and said that Cheney is "another" Mitt Romney. Romney broke with party lines and was the only Republican U.S. Senator to vote to convict Trump during his impeachment trial two years ago.
However, in January 2020, Cheney said those who oppose Trump's actions regarding Iran "embolden our enemies," but declined to call them traitors.
And FiveThirtyEight reported last week that she voted with Trump's agenda 93% of the time.