Republican MP Adam Kinzinger’s relatives criticized him as “a disappointment to us and God” and “a shame” to the family in a blunt two-page letter hammering the congressman for his criticisms of former President Donald Trump.
“Oh my, what a disappointment you are for us and for God!” the letter, which Kinzinger first discussed in an interview with Anthony Fisher of Insider and was shared in full with The New York Times, began. “We were already proud of your achievements! Instead, you go against your Christian principles and join the ‘Devil’s army’ (Democrats and the news media).”
Kinzinger, who has solidly represented Illinois’ 16th Republican Congressional district since 2013, stood out as one of Trump’s most vehement and energetic critics, starting during Trump’s presidential campaign.
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Kinzinger was one of only 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment on charges of inciting the January 6 uprising, and one of 11 to vote to remove far-right MP Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee duties in one February 4 vote.
After stating that they believe Trump will be forgiven to God, the letter from Kinzinger’s relatives said, “It is very embarrassing for us to be related to you. You embarrassed the Kinzinger family name.”
Karen Otto, Kinzinger’s cousin who headed the letter signed by 11 other family members, told The Times that she spent $ 7 to send the letter by registered letter to make sure he saw her, adding that she wants to see Kinzinger ” rejected “.
They sent the letter to Kinzinger after he asked Trump to be removed from office through the 25th Amendment on the Capitol insurrection.
—Reid J. Epstein (@reidepstein) February 15, 2021
Kinzinger, for his part, believes that his family members have been “brainwashed” by their churches.
“I have nothing against them,” he told The Times, “but I have no desire or need to reach out and fix this. This is 100% their responsibility to reach out and fix, and quite honestly, I don’t care if they do or not. “
With Trump out of office, Kinzinger told both Insider and The Times that his goal is to heal the Republican Party, including through a new PAC that supports anti-Trump Republicans.
“The party is sick now,” Kinzinger told The Times, saying he plans to “fight like the devil to save him first” before considering parading the Republican Party.
But, as The Times noted, Kinzinger could find himself withdrawn from his district in the next post-2020 redistricting by the Illinois-controlled state government. Illinois is one of several Midwestern states that are expected to lose an electoral district after the 2020 census.