Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellRepublicans struggle to unify towards the next election cycle. The president has changed, but Washington has not found former Trump employees in the tough job market MORE (R-Ky.) On Monday he criticized the Republican Republic of Georgia’s embrace of Republican Party of Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, for “crazy lies and conspiracy theories” as “cancer for the Republican Party”.
“Someone who suggested that perhaps no planes hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that the horrific school shootings were pre-staged and that the Clintons shot down JFK Jr.’s plane is not actually living,” said McConnell in a statement. for the first time with The Hill. “This has nothing to do with the challenges that American families face or solid debates about the content that can strengthen our party.”
McConnell did not mention Greene by name in his three-sentence statement, but his rare and scathing comments about a freshman Republican lawmaker from the other chamber suggest that he recognizes the potential damage that his violent rhetoric and bizarre conspiracy theories could inflict on Republicans in Congress as they try to retake the House and the Senate in next year’s evidence.
Greene responded on Twitter, writing that “the real cancer for the Republican Party is weak Republicans, who only know how to lose elegantly”.
The real cancer for the Republican Party is weak Republicans, who only know how to lose elegantly.
That is why we are losing our country.
– Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) February 2, 2021
Democrats are threatening to force a plenary vote this week to expel the controversial Georgia Republican from the Education and Labor Committee and the Budget Committee if he is a minority leader in the House Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthyRepublicans struggle to unify toward the next election cycle The president has changed, but Washington, not the Republicans of Iowa and New Hampshire, struggle to set the tone for post-Trump MORE (R-Calif.) Don’t remove it first.
McCarthy is due to meet her in Washington on Tuesday. Some Republicans said they did not expect McCarthy to expel her from the committees, as she has the support of former President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden reverses Trump’s last-minute attempt to freeze 0.4 billion programs Trump announces new legal impeachment team after reported matches Republicans struggle to unify toward the next election cycle MORE, which still has a huge influence on the GOP.
But McConnell’s comments will add pressure for McCarthy to act.
If McCarthy takes the issue to Democrats, it could force vulnerable House Republicans in decisive districts to take a difficult vote.
“Of course, it must be removed. Although we cannot prevent her from calling herself a Republican, we can take a stand, and we need to ”, moderated the GOP representative. Adam Kinzinger
Adam Daniel KinzingerRepublicans struggle to unify towards the next election cycle Kinzinger launches PAC to challenge Republican Party adherence to Trump Sunday shows – relief from COVID-19 dominates MORE (Ill.) I told The Hill on Monday night.
But others fear that removing it will further divide the conference, which is already engaged in a civil war over what will come in a post-Trump era.
“It remains to be seen how big a problem it is in the long run. She had a noisy entrance, but it is not clear how she will be seen and known in the public psyche in November 2022. She had a difficult transition to Congress I’m not sure if we need to go against that now, “said a senior Republican lawmaker.
“To quote Dean Wormer, we may have to put her on double secret probation. … She has been a member for 30 days. It’s still a little early, and I don’t blame Kevin for not repressing anyone at this point. I don’t think you need to remove someone from your committees anytime soon, “added the legislator.
Greene’s growing controversies have created headaches for major Republicans as Democrats seek to mark her as the face of the Republican Party.
Supporter of the pro-Trump movement QAnon, Greene supported Facebook posts asking for Speaker to be executed Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiBiden meeting with Republican senators on Monday about coronavirus relief Portman says the Republican leadership “must stand up” against Greene’s comments. Congressional Democrats are on the wrong side of the impeachment policy. (D-Calif.) And other leading Democrats; she endorsed false and painful conspiracy theories that the 9/11 terrorist attacks and mass school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut and Parkland, Florida, were rumors; and she embraced another strange conspiracy theory that the 2018 forest fires in California were caused by a space laser controlled by a powerful family of Jewish bankers.
Greene told the conservative news agency One America News (OAN) that she should meet with the former president “soon”, adding that “he supports me 100 percent”.
Trump’s support for the incendiary freshman is not making the GOP’s woes any easier.
Major Republicans, including Republican National Committee chairman Ronna Romney McDaniel, condemned his statements.
“The comments made by Marjorie Taylor Greene are atrocious,” she told The New York Times. “They need to be condemned. They are violent, they are inaccurate – they are very, very dangerous ”.
Greene has been a concern for Republicans since he entered the primaries to replace the former deputy. Tom Graves
John (Tom) Thomas GravesGOP has a growing problem with Marjorie Taylor Greene Georgia House to consider replacing the Confederate statue with the statue of John Lewis Biden asks the nation to ‘unite, heal and rebuild in 2021’ MORE (R-Ga.), With House Minority Whip now Steve Scalise
Stephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseProposal for permanent fencing on Capitol Hill generates bipartisan resistance The Republican Party is increasing the problem of Marjorie Taylor Greene Boycott the false impeachment MORE (R-La.) Having supported his main challenger, John Cowan.
In addition to speaking out against Greene’s adoption of conspiracy theories, McConnell also expressed his support for the President of the House Republican Conference Liz Cheney
Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyRepublicans struggle to unify toward the Republican Party’s next election cycle in South Carolina to censor Rep. Rice on impeachment vote The Hill’s 12:30 Report – Presented by Facebook – Experts react to J&J vaccine data MORE (Wyo.), Who was criticized by conservatives after his vote for Trump’s impeachment for inciting the deadly riot on January 6.
“Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and the courage to act on them,” McConnell told CNN in a statement.
“She is an important leader in our party and in our nation. I am grateful for her service and look forward to continuing to work with her on the crucial issues facing our nation.”
His comments were made just days before the Republican House meeting, where conservative efforts to get the Wyoming Republican out of her leadership role will be discussed.
Al Weaver contributed. Updated at 20h09