House Republican: Cheney has ‘failed’ GOP conference

The chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee blamed Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) for distracting GOP efforts to oppose President Biden’s agenda with her consistent criticism of former President Trump following the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace that Cheney, the House Republican Conference chairwoman, should not have a role in leadership if she continues to call out Trump.

“Republicans are almost completely unified … to oppose the radical Biden agenda,” Banks said, adding that Cheney was acting as a holdout.

“We are almost entirely unified on this issue, except for Liz Cheney,” he said, adding that “any leader who is not focused on that … at this point needs to be replaced.”

Banks’s statements come as House Republicans are preparing this week to replace Cheney as conference chairwoman with the support of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)

“The belief that I have … [is that] she’s lost focus on the singular mission we have,” Banks argued. He said Cheney “has failed in her mission as the chief spokeswoman for our party.”

The House GOP appears poised to replace Cheney with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a political newcomer whose loyalty to Trump has been seen as stronger than Cheney’s in the days since Jan. 6.

Cheney survived a previous secret-ballot vote to hold on to her position following her comments on the riot.