In a draft of the petition, which was obtained by CNN, conservatives are calling Cheney to a special meeting “to discuss a resolution on his leadership”. The petition is still in the design phase.
Although the petition is gaining support, signing the petition means that members will re-hold the special meeting. According to the rules of the House Republican conference, you need 20% of the conference or 43 members to sign a petition like this to hold a special meeting. Signing the petition to hold the meeting is not the same as saying that members are willing to vote to remove Cheney now. At any meeting, members would have to vote separately on the resolution asking it to resign.
The effort to actually expel Cheney continues to be seen as a long shot by Republican Party advisers who watch the process. While it is hoped that the conference will be able to have a special meeting on the subject, actually expelling Cheney is much more difficult. The conference would have to vote on a resolution asking it to resign and the majority would have to support it, something that advisers do not expect to be possible now.
“There is anguish, but I don’t think they will get there,” a Republican aide told CNN on the condition that he could not discuss the matter freely.
Part of the obstacle for conservatives is that this leadership is not currently supporting the effort. A spokesman for House minority leader Kevin McCarthy told CNN that the California Republican did not support efforts to oust Cheney.
“At some point there will have to be a conversation about whether we are going to have this civil war in the Republican Party or not,” said the Republican Party adviser. “The cumulative effect of all this is not useful. I think that at some point you come to a posture of mutually guaranteed destruction and people just give up.”