SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Republican National Committee censured two GOP lawmakers on Friday for participating on the committee investigating the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and assailed the …
By SAM METZ SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Republican National Committee censured two GOP lawmakers on Friday for participating on the committee investigating the violent Jan.6 insurrection and assailed the panel for leading a “persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.” GOP officials took a voice vote to approve censuring Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois at the party’s winter meeting in Salt Lake City. The censure was approved a day after an RNC subcommittee watered down a resolution that had recommended expelling the pair from the party. The censure accuses Cheney and Kinzinger of “participating in a Democrat-led persecution.” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel denied that the “legitimate political discourse” wording in the censure was referring to the violent attack on the Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump and said it had to do with other actions taken by the House committee investigating the Jan.6,2021, insurrection. But the resolution drew no such distinction. RNC members take issue with what they see as the overly broad subpoenas, including one for Arizona GOP Chair Kelli Ward. Ward, an osteopathic doctor, sued to block the subpoena and argues that providing her phone records would compromise patients’ privacy. “What are you going for? What are you looking for? You should have a specific scope,” said Pam Pollard, an RNC member from Oklahoma. But GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who voted to convict Trump in both of his impeachment trials, excoriated his party for the censure. “Shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol,” he tweeted.
