«I think she’s very smart and she plays a key role in our party,» the Ohio Republican senator said.
Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio defended Representative Liz Cheney on Sunday amid GOP calls to punish her for voting to impeach former President Donald Trump. «I think she’s very smart and she plays a key role in our party,» said Portman during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. «I would hope that they would not go down that road. I think it’s important to have her voice in the process.» «The truth is I think she’s very valuable for the team and a great leader,» Portman added. Even though he defended Cheney, Portman added the constitutionality of Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial in the Senate needs to be addressed since he no longer holds office and is considered a private citizen. Cheney, who holds the third-highest position in the House GOP leadership, was one of 10 Republicans from the lower chamber who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the Capitol riot on January 6.
