search
Sections List
American Journal News

House Republicans want to punish each other for not loving Trump enough

Republicans have taken stronger action against those who voted to impeach Trump for inciting an insurrection than they have against members like Marjorie Taylor Greene, a known bigot who has called for violence against Democrats.

By Emily Singer - February 02, 2021
Share
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL)

In a sign Republicans have no intention of leaving Donald Trump in the rearview mirror, GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach Trump for inciting a  deadly insurrection have faced more criticism within the party than a freshman lawmaker with a long rap sheet of violent and bigoted comments.

At least four of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump have faced punishment from state Republican parties, or in the case of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), face being removed from a leadership role within the House GOP.

Three GOP lawmakers — Reps. Fred Upton of Michigan, Tom Rice of South Carolina, and Dan Newhouse of Washington — were all censured by either state and local Republican parties for voting to impeach Trump.

House Republicans have also publicly decried Cheney — who currently serves in the No. 3 leadership spot. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) went as far as to go to Cheney’s home state of Wyoming to hold a rally to denounce her.

Other Republicans have backed Gaetz’s effort to remove Cheney from leadership.

“As House Republican Conference Chair, Rep Cheney’s decision to impeach the president days before he leaves office is inexcusable. We need a leader who represents the majority of the conference. She needs to step down,” Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) tweeted after the impeachment vote.

Meanwhile, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has faced no such punishment, even after comments surfaced last week in which Greene called for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be executed, said the school shootings were “false flag” operations meant to build support for gun control, and pushed an antisemitic conspiracy theory that a deadly 2018 wildfire in California was started by a space laser owned by Jewish billionaires.

Few Republicans have spoken out about Greene’s bigoted and violent remarks.

In fact, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has had harsher words for Cheney than for Greene. In late January, McCarthy said he had “concerns” over Cheney’s vote to impeach Trump.

“She can have a difference of opinion, but the one thing if we’re going to lead within the conference, we should work together on that as a whole conference because we’re representative of that conference,” McCarthy said in an interview with former Fox News personality Greta Van Susteren.

“I do think she has a lot of questions she has to answer to the conference,” he added.

As for Greene, McCarthy has said he plans to sit down with her this week, though it’s unclear what he will say to her or what punishment he will hand down, if any.

Greene claims to have the full support of Trump and said that she plans to meet with Trump in person soon — two points that could make it hard for McCarthy to punish Greene if he is reluctant to anger Trump or go against his wishes.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a group of right-wing, Trump-defending House Republicans will wage an effort to oust Cheney from her role as chair of the House Republican conference.

But Democrats have now given McCarthy an ultimatum: He has three days to remove Greene from her committees or Democrats will bring the issue to the House floor.

Committee revocation is just the first step that Democrats plan to take against Greene.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) introduced legislation last week to expel Greene from the House — a move that requires a two-thirds vote of the chamber. That means Republicans will be forced to go on record about whether they find it acceptable to serve with someone who pushes dangerous conspiracy theories and has a history of making overtly racist, antisemitic, and Islamophobic comments.

If they do not vote to punish or condemn Greene for her violent and antisemitic comments, it will be a 180-degree turn from Republican behavior in 2019, when the party tried to force Democrats to denounce Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) over her criticism of Israel.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.


Read More
AJ News
Latest
GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

GOP Rep. Zach Nunn suggests laws against hate crime aren’t needed

By Jesse Valentine - April 15, 2024
GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

GOP Senate candidate Hung Cao blames racial equity for Baltimore bridge tragedy

By Jesse Valentine - March 29, 2024
GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

GOP Rep. Jennifer Kiggans donates thousands to far-right extremists

By Jesse Valentine - March 08, 2024
Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

Ohio senate candidate Bernie Moreno: “Absolute pro-life no exceptions.”

By Jesse Valentine - March 07, 2024
Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

Anti-China Republicans pocket thousands from Chinese owned conglomerate

By Jesse Valentine - March 04, 2024
Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

Republican Eric Hovde makes inconsistent statements about family history

By Jesse Valentine - February 26, 2024
Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

Republican David McCormick invests millions in website that platforms Holocaust denial

By Jesse Valentine - February 09, 2024
Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

Lawmakers will again take up bills expanding, tightening gun laws

By Annmarie Timmins, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 31, 2024
UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

UAW delivers rousing presidential endorsement for Biden over ‘scab’ Trump

By Ashley Murray, States Newsroom - January 24, 2024
Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

Republicans Sam Brown and Jeff Gunter sling mud in Nevada senate primary

By Jesse Valentine - January 17, 2024
A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

A Young Texas Woman Almost Died Due To The Texas Abortion Bans – Now She’s Battling To Save Other Women

By Bonnie Fuller - January 10, 2024
Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

Health care legislation preview: Maryland advocates want to focus on access, patients in 2024 session

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters - January 08, 2024
How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

How GOP senate hopefuls try to excuse the  January 6 insurrection

By Jesse Valentine - January 05, 2024
NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

NH lawmakers will be taking up major voting bills this year. Here are some to watch for.

By Ethan DeWitt, New Hampshire Bulletin - January 04, 2024
Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

Republican US Senate candidates want to make Trump’s tax cuts permanent 

By Jesse Valentine - December 22, 2023
Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

Rand Paul went all in on the Kentucky governor’s race. It didn’t work.

By - December 15, 2023
Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

Texas governor and attorney general do little to curb state’s chemical plant crisis

By Jesse Valentine - December 08, 2023
Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

Likely GOP Senate candidate Eric Hovde proposed tax hike for poorer workers and retirees

By Jesse Valentine - December 07, 2023
Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

Whitmer signs specific criminal penalties for assaulting health care workers into law

By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance - December 06, 2023
105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

105 Republicans voted to expel Santos for things Trump has also done

By Jesse Valentine - December 05, 2023
For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

For Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, another Trump term is another chance to kill Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - December 04, 2023
Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

Florida Sen. Rick Scott backs Donald Trump in revived push to repeal Obamacare

By Jesse Valentine - November 30, 2023
Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

Tate Reeves took donations from power company that hiked customer rates

By Jesse Valentine - November 06, 2023
Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

Daniel Cameron ran on depoliticizing the Kentucky AG’s office. He made it more political.

By Jesse Valentine - November 03, 2023
Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

Republican operatives sound every alarm on current trajectory of 2023 governor’s race

By Adam Ganucheau, Mississippi Today - October 24, 2023
 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

 Direct mailers distort California Democrat Will Rollins’ record 

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

More than half of Republican Jay Ashcroft’s funding comes from outside Missouri

By Jesse Valentine - April 25, 2024
Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

Assisted living home lawsuit, citations add to controversy over Hovde’s nursing home remarks

By Erik Gunn, Wisconsin Examiner - April 24, 2024
Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

Ohio doctors fear effects of emergency abortion care case set to go before U.S. Supreme Court

By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal - April 23, 2024
President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

President Biden visits Prince William park to talk solar, youth involvement on Earth Day

By Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury - April 23, 2024
Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

Biden on abortion rights: President expects to give speech Tuesday on new Florida 6-week ban

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix - April 22, 2024