Former Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney said former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy “elevated” those in his party who are “white supremacists” and “antisemitic.”
Cheney blamed McCarthy for the current uproar occurring in the House chamber, where the representatives failed to elect a speaker in three rounds of votes this week.
“What we’ve seen is a result of really the leadership decisions that Kevin McCarthy made all the way back after the 2020 election and certainly after January 6 and looking the other way in the face of the kind of assault on our democracy that we’ve seen from Donald Trump and his allies in the House, including Jim Jordan,” Cheney said during a Sunday interview on CNN. “Elevating those members, frankly, some of whom are white supremacists, some of whom are antisemitic, a number of whom were directly involved in the attempt to seize power and overturn the election.”
“So it’s not a surprise when you see those people who have been in power. But it’s also really dangerous,” she continued. (RELATED: ‘Has Been An Embarrassment’: Wyoming Voters Tear Into Liz Cheney Ahead Of Primary)
Congressional Republicans who voted against Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker have reportedly received death threats for opposing the former speaker-designate. About a dozen Republicans voted against Jordan on the House floor this week, leading to a special vote to oust Jordan as the nominee Friday.
Cheney claimed a former colleague told her that members of the party are accepting threats of violence against those who opposed Jordan.
“It’s completely inappropriate and dangerous in our politics,” she said about the matter. “We need people who are serious and who recognize and understand the dangers that we’re facing globally as well as from Donald Trump and those who support it.”
Several House Republicans told the Daily Caller that those opposing Jordan likely did so to “spite” their colleague, Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who led the process of ousting McCarthy as speaker in an Oct. 3 vote.