Cheney is hell-bent on burning the GOP to the ground.
Former Republican Representative Liz Cheney has expressed concerns about the newly elected House Speaker, Mike Johnson, characterizing him as a potential threat to the country due to his support for former President Donald Trump’s baseless attempts to undermine the 2020 election.
According to Fox, Cheney voiced her concerns during an appearance on the “Politics is Everything” podcast hosted by the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. She highlighted her belief that individuals like Mike Johnson pose a danger to the nation because, despite their knowledge of the truth, they choose to align themselves with efforts that sought to subvert the democratic process, as initiated by Donald Trump in his bid to overturn the election results.
According to Cheney, Johnson knowingly engaged in actions that he recognized as incorrect when he attempted to persuade fellow House Republicans to sign an amicus brief in support of one of Trump’s legal challenges questioning the 2020 election results. She went on to suggest that the country would eventually judge the character of individuals like Johnson based on their actions.
Johnson assumed the role of House Speaker on October 25, following a period of turmoil within the GOP. Eight Republicans, along with every Democrat, voted to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position. Johnson’s election came after a protracted struggle within the party’s leadership to secure the necessary support for the House’s top leadership position.
Despite being a member of the House GOP leadership, Johnson managed to garner backing from both the conservative and more moderate wings of the party, earning him the speakership. Cheney, who had previously served as the chair of the GOP conference but was removed from the role due to her vocal opposition to Trump, had worked closely with Johnson during her tenure in the House.
Cheney recalled her personal familiarity with Johnson, as they were elected to Congress at the same time, with their offices located adjacent to each other. She remarked that while Johnson professed a commitment to upholding the Constitution, his actions during the aftermath of the 2020 election demonstrated a willingness to disregard court rulings and constitutional requirements to appease Donald Trump and gain his favor for political gain.
In her view, Johnson’s election as Speaker of the House raised concerns given his actions and decisions in the wake of the 2020 election. Cheney, who served as the Representative for Wyoming’s sole House seat from 2016 until her defeat in the 2022 GOP primary by Rep. Harriet Hageman, had previously faced a significant loss of support within the GOP due to her participation in the House Jan. 6 committee, which investigated Trump’s alleged role in inciting the Capitol riot in early 2021.
As of the time of this report, Mike Johnson’s office had not responded to requests for comment regarding Liz Cheney’s statements.