Congressional Republican leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), have split on the Republican National Committee’s censure resolution of Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Liz Cheney (R-WY).
“The issue is whether or not the RNC should be sort of singling out members of our party who may have different views than the majority,” McConnell said. “That’s not the job of the RNC.”
“The RNC has every right to take any action and the position that I have is that you’re ultimately held accountable to voters in your district, voters who you represent,” House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elize Stefanik (R-NY) said.
The Republican split is also divided when it comes to the RNC’s characterization of the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. The resolution described the people at the Capitol as, “ordinary citizens engaged in a legitimate political discourse.”
“It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next,” McConnell told reporters.
McCarthy told CNN he believes the RNC used the phrase to describe six RNC officials recently subpoenaed who were in Florida on Jan. 6.