House Minority Whip Steve Scalise is calling for New York Rep. Elise Stefanik to take over the leadership role
entered a new front Wednesday as former President Donald Trump and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise publicly backed Rep. Elise Stefanik to replace Rep. Liz Cheney as chair of the House Republican Conference.
In order for Cheney to be removed, a motion would have to be raised before the conference, which will then have to vote. That could happen as early as May 12 when the House is back in session and Republicans are likely to hold their next conference meeting. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., questions former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch during the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill on Nov. 15, 2019. beginning Monday. After Trump released another statement spreading falsehoods about his electoral loss last fall, Cheney tweeted in response that anyone claiming the 2020 presidential election was stolen is "poisoning our democratic system.
"I've had it with her. You know, I've lost confidence," McCarthy said in the recording, which was reported byand has not been obtained by NBC News. "Well, someone just has to bring a motion, but I assume that will probably take place.” In his statement, Trump said Cheney "continues to unknowingly and foolishly say that there was no Election Fraud in the 2020 Presidential Election."
All of this is taking place as Republicans, with history on their side, hope to flip the House in next year's midterms. Democrats currently own a slim 218-212 House majority over the GOP, and Republicans are confident they can retake the majority without much of a boost.