The majority of Republicans haven’t been participating with the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. But they haven’t been content with simply doing nothing. Some have spent months either downplaying the violent attack, even publicly condemning the investigation. On Friday they went even further still, censuring the two lone Republicans on the committee and actually declaring that the Capitol storming was “legitimate political discourse.”
As per The New York Times, the Republican National Committee, when faced with a former leader who continues to spread the voter lies that led to the attack (and is now even slamming his ex-veep), decided to go after party members who are trying to ensure such a thing never happens again. They voted to formally censure Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, both die hard Republicans and both people who have refused to whitewash over Trump’s actions. (Cheney was infamously stripped of some of her power by her own party last year.)
In a statement, they condemned Cheney and Kinzinger for collaborating with Democrats over what they called the “persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.”
After the vote, certain Republicans attempted to clarify their language to make it seem like they weren’t condoning the violent assault, which left five dead and dozens of police officers injured. That didn’t go so well.
“Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger crossed a line,” said Ronna McDaniel, the Republican National Committee chairwoman. “They chose to join Nancy Pelosi in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol.” (Mind you, the investigation is largely focused on the violence at the Capitol.)
The GOP’s extraordinary statement, which found the party further aligning itself with a loose cannon who was gorging on McDonald’s while sick with COVID, did not go unnoticed by several people in power, among them Cheney herself.
This was January 6th.
This is not “legitimate political discourse.” pic.twitter.com/lKgbVyVcJr— Rep. Liz Cheney (@RepLizCheney) February 4, 2022
The Republican Party says attacking cops during insurrectionist riots is “legitimate political discourse.” https://t.co/ZS0eeNlNbY
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) February 4, 2022
This is what Republicans call “legitimate political discourse.”
Don’t let them rewrite history. pic.twitter.com/2cHSAY3vS9
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) February 4, 2022
It’s official. Lincoln’s party of “liberty and Union” is now Trump’s party of violence and disunion. His cultists just called sedition, beating up cops and a coup ‘legitimate political discourse.’ They censured Cheney & Kinzinger for not bowing to the orange autocrat. Disgrace.
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) February 4, 2022
Others treated it with gallows humor.
Ronna McDaniel: “John Wilkes Booth was engaging in legitimate political discourse.”#legitimatepoliticaldiscourse #GOPCoup #GOPTraitors pic.twitter.com/knBjJFWrKq
— Josh Mc (@JoshMcVa) February 4, 2022
Check all squares with
Legitimate Political Discourse.
If there are none, congrats, you’re not psychotic. pic.twitter.com/ZRRT7YnSKi
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) February 4, 2022
I’m sure Timothy McVeigh considered his plan a Legitimate Political Discourse too.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) February 4, 2022
Next let’s rebrand the Civil War as the Legitimate Political Discourse Affair of 1861-1865
— Steven Mazie (@stevenmazie) February 4, 2022
Congratulations to “Legitimate Political Discourse” on being the number one cause of death for Capitol police last year https://t.co/CTRoUg78AI
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 4, 2022
I’m checking whether World War 2 should be renamed
” The Second Legitimate Political Discourse “It certainly lacked bi-partisanship
And Hitler was only trying to unify Europe https://t.co/CoXbHofyWf
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) February 4, 2022
Tourists engaging in legitimate political discourse. pic.twitter.com/i5zz04J4Ju
— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) February 5, 2022
The Republican Party says smearing feces on the walls of the Capitol is ‘legitimate political discourse.’
— Covie (@covie_93) February 4, 2022
And so the party that a very long time ago ended slavery are now parroting the dubious claims of Tucker Carlson.
(Via NYT)