Matt Gaetz Calls for Liz Cheney’s Ouster After Explosive House GOP Meeting: She ‘Has Worked Behind the Scenes’ Against Trump

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A closed-door congressional meeting among House Republicans reportedly went wild on Tuesday when Liz Cheney’s (R-WY) colleagues reportedly ganged up on her for diverging from the GOP over the coronavirus pandemic. This culminated with Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) demanding Cheney to step down as House Republican Conference Chair.

Politico’s Melanie Zanona reports that the meeting heated up when Gaetz, Jim Jordan (OH), Andy Biggs (AZ), Thomas Massie (KY), Chip Roy (TX), and Louie Gohmert (TX) all went after Cheney for breaking with President Donald Trump on multiple occasions amid the ongoing health crisis. According to Zanona, the blow-up started when Gaetz complained about Cheney’s support for Massie’s Republican primary opponent, which prompted Massie and several of his colleagues to rebuke her for getting involved in the contest.

Shortly after that, the meeting bubbled up again when Roy went after Cheney for her support of Dr. Anthony Fauci. The infectious disease expert has repeatedly come under fire by the Trump administration and Republicans as he continues to warn America how serious the pandemic situation remains for the country.

The meeting reportedly continued with Cheney being accused of undermining House Republicans and not being supportive enough for Trump. Cheney, for her part, reportedly stood her ground by defending Fauci again and offering retorts to all her colleagues for their political woes.

Cheney did not back down from confrontation:

She defended Fauci.

She told Gaetz I look forward to seeing ur HBO doc.

She told Massie his issue is w/ Trump, not her.

She told Jordan I look forward to hearing ur comments about being a team player when we’re back in the majority

— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) July 21, 2020

After the meeting was over, Cheney insisted to reporters that the GOP remains unified, and that she has no quarrel with those who challenged her.

Just spoke with Liz Cheney about this. She downplayed dispute and said it was a “healthy exchange of views” and it is clear “we are all unified in recognizing the danger the country would face if Joe Biden were elected president.” She claimed she and Massie are “in a good place” https://t.co/0yyl5woQoU

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 21, 2020

However, Gaetz followed up the meeting later by saying “[she] has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against Trump and his agenda. House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair. Liz Cheney should step down or be removed.”

Liz Cheney has worked behind the scenes (and now in public) against @realDonaldTrump and his agenda.

House Republicans deserve better as our Conference Chair.

Liz Cheney should step down or be removed. #MAGA

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) July 21, 2020