Republican Party calls Jan. 6 attack 'legitimate political discourse'

The Republican Party on Fridaycensured two of its own U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney andAdam Kinzingerover their involvement in Congress' probe offormer president Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020presidential election and an attack led by his supporters on Capitol Hill.

Cheney and Kinzinger voted to impeach Trump on a charge ofincitement of insurrection after last year's deadly Jan. 6Capitol riot and are the only Republicans taking part in theHouse of Representatives' investigation of the attack.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) on Friday passed aresolution rebuking Cheney and Kinzinger for their involvementon the Jan. 6 select committee, accusing them of "participatingin a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged inlegitimate political discourse," according to a copy obtained byReuters.

Four people died on Jan. 6, and a Capitol Police officerdied the next day. About 140 police officers were injured, andfour later died by suicide.

The resolution passed on a voice vote as 168 members of theRNC gathered for their winter meeting in Salt Lake City. The yesvotes were overwhelming, with a handful of nays, according toreporters at the meeting.

It said their actions have damaged Republican efforts to winback majorities in Congress.

The measure said the RNC will "immediately cease any and allsupport of them" as party members, but stops short of callingfor their ouster from the party, as initially proposed.

Trump, who retains a strong grip over his party as Nov. 8midterm congressional elections draw closer, has been on the
warpath against Republicans who have taken a stand against him.Republicans are trying to take control of both the House and theSenate from President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats.

Pence says Trump was 'wrong'

Also on Friday, former vice-president Mike Pence directly rebutted Trump's false claims that Pence somehow could have overturned the results of the 2020 election, saying that the former president was simply "wrong."

In a speech to the conservative Federalist Society in Florida, Pence addressed Trump's intensifying efforts this week to advance the false narrative that he could have done something to prevent Joe Biden from taking office.

"President Trump is wrong," Pence said. "I had no right to overturn the election."

While Pence in the past has defended his actions on Jan. 6 and said that he and Trump will likely never see "eye to eye" on what happened that day, the remarks Friday marked his most forceful rebuttal of Trump to date. And they come as Pence has been laying the groundwork for a potential run for president in 2024, which could put him in direct competition with his former boss, who has also been teasing a comeback run.

'Willing hostages'

Cheney and Kinzinger bothissued statements in anticipation of Friday's RNC vote.

"The leaders of the Republican Party have made themselveswilling hostages to a man who admits he tried to overturn apresidential election and suggests he would pardon Jan. 6defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditiousconspiracy," Cheney said, referring to the hundreds of Trumpsupporters accused of various crimes in the violent attack.

Kinzinger, who is not seeking re-election, said he has beena conservative Republican since before Trump entered politics.He vowed to continue "working to fight the political matrixthat's led us to this point."

Not all Republicans are lining up against the two.

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney praised Cheney and Kinzingeras honourable in a Twitter post on Friday. "Shame falls on aparty that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truthin the face of vitriol," he wrote.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy came to their defence lateThursday, writing on Twitter, "The RNC is censuring Liz Cheneyand Adam Kinzinger because they are trying to find out whathappened on January 6th - HUH?"