County GOP condemns Cheney

Fallout over Rep. Liz Cheney’s vote to impeach former President Donald Trump continues throughout the Cowboy State as county Republican parties continue voicing their displeasure with the vote.

The Sweetwater County Republican Party was no different Saturday after its central committee approved a motion to condemn Cheney’s vote. According to a copy of the resolution posted to the Sweetwater Republican Party’s Facebook Page, the condemnation accuses her of siding with Democrats in voting to approve articles of impeachment brought against Trump without undergoing a formal hearing.

“In contrast to President Donald J. Trump’s call for “peaceful and patriotic voices,” to respond to political opposition, Representative Cheney’s political allies on the Left (sic) have permitted, enabled (to include raising bail for insurrectionist), and excused violent uprisings across America that have caused loss of life and destruction of private and public property,” the statement reads.

The statement claims Cheney betrayed the trust of a majority of Wyoming’s electorate and neglected to represent the Republican Party. The resolution calls on Cheney to appear before the Wyoming Republican Party’s next central committee meeting to explain her actions. However, short of censuring Cheney, the Sweetwater GOP opted to condemn her actions -- mainly because a question of if the county party could censure someone not specifically affiliated with the county party arose during the meeting, according to Sweetwater GOP Secretary Cindy Lane.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, censure is an official reprimand or a judgment involving condemnation, among other similar definitions. Sweetwater County’s GOP isn’t alone in criticizing Cheney action. Republicans in nine other counties, including nearby Carbon, Fremont and Lincoln Counties, have censured Cheney. An additional vote took place in Niobrara County Tuesday, through the results of that vote were not available as of press time. Cheney has also gained a primary opponent in Sen. Anthony Bouchard (R-Cheyenne) for the 2022 election.

However, the vote hasn’t impacted her standing with one powerful GOP leader in Congress. In a recent statement to CNN, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken.) said, “Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and the courage to act on them.”