Cheney says McCarthy failed to put ‘oath to the Constitution ahead of his own personal political gains’

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Sunday said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has failed to put his “oath to the Constitution ahead of his own personal political gains.”

During an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” co-anchor Jake Tapper cited a statement from McCarthy, who is in Poland, that voiced support for Ukrainians defending themselves and their democracy from Russia’s invasion. Tapper also noted the minority leader’s lack of support for the Jan. 6 probe.

Asked by Tapper if there is “any disconnect there,” Cheney took aim at the minority leader’s oath to the Constitution.

“What I would say is that what’s happening today in Ukraine is a reminder that democracy is fragile, that democracy must be defended, and that each one of us in a position to do so has an obligation to do so,” Cheney, who sits on the House panel investigating the attack on the Capitol, responded.

She added that McCarthy “failed to do that, failed to put his oath to the Constitution ahead of his own personal political gains.”

The Wyoming Republican said all lawmakers are “responsible for our own actions and activity, but if we don’t stand for our Constitution, if we don’t stand for democracy, if we don’t stand for freedom, if we forget that our oath to our Constitution is an oath to a document, it’s not an oath to an individual, we’ve got to always remember that or our democracy is in peril.”

The Hill reached out to McCarthy for comment.

Cheney and McCarthy have been at odds since last year, when House Republicans voted to oust Cheney from her leadership post as conference chair. The move came in response to Cheney refuting former President Trump’s claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

In February, McCarthy endorsed Cheney’s primary challenger. He told CNN that the endorsement was “a very special case,” and that he would not be throwing his support behind any individuals taking on Republican incumbents.

McCarthy’s office announced on Sunday that the minority leader and a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers had arrived in Poland to meet with U.S. armed forces and allied partners in the area. He issued a statement in support of Ukrainians in their fight to preserve their democracy, which Tapper cited in conversation with Cheney.

“The whole world is watching what’s unfolding in Ukraine,” McCarthy said. “We see the atrocities being committed by Vladimir Putin, and more importantly, we see the bravery of the Ukrainian people. We are here — as representatives of the United States — to ensure we are doing what is right to support Ukrainians as they defend themselves and their democracy.”

Updated 5:04 p.m.