Kinzinger: Cheney 'is being run out for one thing: her consistency'

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Washington (CNN)Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger on Monday came to the defense of soon-to-be-ousted House GOP conference chair Liz Cheney, arguing their party is poised to remove her from the influential post because she has consistently said former President Donald Trump is responsible for the US Capitol insurrection.

"She is being run out for one thing: her consistency. She said the exact same thing that (House Minority Leader) Kevin McCarthy said on January 6, which is Donald Trump is responsible" for the riot, Kinzinger said at a virtual event hosted by the National Press Club.

"You cannot unite with lies, if somebody is going to use lies to gain power and say, 'let's have unity,' you can't do it," the Illinois Republican added. "'We need to remove Liz Cheney because she makes me have to answer questions that I know are false.' That's what they're saying."

The comments come days before the GOP caucus is expected to remove Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, from her leadership post. New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, a staunch supporter of Trump who has gained the support of both the former president and McCarthy, appears poised to be Cheney's replacement.

Kinzinger, who has drawn stark contrasts with his own party, said at the event that McCarthy and House Republican Whip Steve Scalise "decided that winning the next election was more important than a clear-eyed recognition of what happened on January 6."


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