Liz Cheney's Explosive Book Exposes GOP as Trump's Enablers and Collaborators
Liz Cheney's explosive new book exposes the Republican Party's alarming loyalty to Trump, revealing how they compromised their constitutional oath for political gain A damning account that sheds light on the dangers of enabling and collaborating with a divisive leader
Former Representative Liz Cheney's new book provides a damning portrayal of the Republican Party, denouncing her past colleagues and party leaders as "enablers and collaborators" who were willing to compromise their commitment to the Constitution for political gain and loyalty to Donald Trump following the 2020 election. Titled "Oath and Honor," the book was obtained by CNN prior to its release on December 5th and offers a fearless depiction of what Cheney refers to as the GOP's "cowardice" and the widespread support for former President Trump, whom she deems "the most dangerous man ever to inhabit the Oval Office."
Cheney's book offers insights into how she recognized the threats posed by Trump and his allies in attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, including a scathing critique of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his successor, House Speaker Mike Johnson, for their susceptibility to Trump's influence. The book also serves as a warning that Cheney believes the Constitution's checks and balances will not hold if Trump is reelected in 2024.
"The Wyoming Republican warns that while the nation can withstand harmful policies for four years, it cannot survive a president who is prepared to disregard the Constitution," Cheney writes. After playing a prominent role as vice chair of the House's January 6 committee and uncovering new details about Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, her book provides a firsthand account of the behind-the-scenes events and includes specific names.
Liz Cheney's new book "Oath and Honor."
From actual text messages, emails, phone calls, and in-person discussions, Cheney publicly calls out her fellow Republicans as hypocrites who were aware that Trump had lost the election but still followed his orders. She also warns that their support of him poses a danger to democracy.
The lure of power is so strong that previously reasonable and responsible individuals were willing to violate their oath to the Constitution for political expediency and loyalty to Donald Trump, writes Cheney. She has made a vow to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent Trump from returning to the White House, and is even considering a 2024 presidential run herself. If Trump becomes the party's nominee, Cheney has stated that she will leave the GOP.
The Orange Jesus
In "Oath and Honor," Cheney details the shift she observed in her Republican colleagues, as they initially criticized Trump, only to later rally behind him and endorse his allegations of election fraud.
Cheney has disclosed that McCarthy informed her just two days after Election Day that he had spoken to Trump, who admitted to losing the 2020 election. "He knows it's over," McCarthy told her, with Cheney observing, "He needs to go through all the stages of grief." She added that to her, those stages of grief "seemed to involve tweeting in all caps."
On the same day, the California Republican appeared on Fox News and claimed that "President Trump won this election," despite McCarthy knowing that it was not true, as Cheney writes.
Cheney also reveals how other Republicans supported Trump's election lies, even when they knew better. During a GOP conference call, she writes that House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan was "dismissive" of the legal process for challenging the election results and showed a lack of concern for the rules.
Jordan emphasized that winning is the only thing that matters, according to Cheney. She also criticizes Johnson, noting that his rise to the speakership occurred after she had completed her book. Cheney details how Johnson urged Republican members to back an amicus brief aimed at invalidating the election results from four states that Trump had failed to win.
Cheney recounts confronting Johnson with the flaws in his legal arguments, noting that Johnson would often concede or justify his actions by claiming that they needed to do one last thing for Trump. On Jan. 6, before the Capitol attack, Cheney describes a scene in the GOP cloakroom where members were urged to sign their names on electoral vote objection sheets, indicating that most members knew it was a farce and merely a public display of loyalty to Donald Trump.
Trumps not eating
Republican Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee was among them," Cheney writes. "As he moved down the line, signing his name to the pieces of paper, Green said sheepishly to no one in particular, The things we do for the Orange Jesus."
Cheney also accuses McCarthy of repeatedly lying and choosing the "craven" path of embracing Trump. She recounts the moment she first found out that McCarthy, fearing he had lost his ability to fundraise, secretly went to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago just three weeks after the Jan. 6 attack.
Donald Trump and Kevin McCarthy are pictured on January 28, 2021 at Mar-a-Lago.
Save America PAC
Cheney initially doubted the authenticity of the photo showing the two men smiling and shaking hands. However, she was astounded by McCarthy's explanation for his visit. He argued that he was summoned by Trump's staff.
"Mar-a-Lago? What on earth, Kevin?" Cheney questioned.
"Theyre really worried," McCarthy said. "Trumps not eating, so they asked me to come see him."
"What? You went to Mar-a-Lago because Trumps not eating?" Cheney responded.
"Yeah, he's truly saddened," McCarthy expressed.
Cheney exposes that additional Republicans were also "furious and appalled" by McCarthy's visit to Trump. She writes: "Some ridiculed him, sharing the Trump/McCarthy photo along with the scene from the movie Jerry Maguire where Tom Cruise tells Renée Zellweger, 'You.. complete.. me.'"
You are in danger
Cheney's retelling of the events leading up to the January 6 attack is one of the most gripping sections of the book, highlighting the increasing concerns about Trump's potential incitement of violence among his supporters.
Cheney reveals for the first time that on January 4th, she was mistakenly invited to a White House surrogate call. Disturbed by what she heard, Trump's allies outlined specific plans to overturn the election by pressuring then-Vice President Mike Pence to obstruct or delay the counting of electoral votes. Cheney left the Capitol that night feeling uneasy, uncertain if Pence would resist the pressure from Trump. She admits to having doubts about Pence's reliability, adding that former House Speaker Paul Ryan also shared this sentiment.
Ryan sent a text message to Cheney just after midnight on January 5, expressing concern that Trump might cave under pressure but ultimately concluded that he would not. The following morning, Cheney's father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, phoned her after Trump's speech at the Ellipse, in which he called for the removal of "the Liz Cheneys of the world."
"He warned her of the danger she faced in speaking on the House floor that day. Despite her worry, Cheney writes that nothing could have prepared her for the violent attack. As the rioters approached and the House went into lockdown, the Sergeant at Arms cautioned members to be ready to hide under their chairs if necessary."
"Jim Jordan came up to me," Cheney recalls. "He said, 'We need to get the ladies off the aisle,' and reached out his hand. 'Let me help you.'"
"I slapped his hand away. 'Get away from me. You caused this,' I told him."
Supporters of President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images/File
Leaving the House chamber in a rush, Cheney immediately began discussing the urgent need to impeach Trump with then-Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries and her colleagues.
On January 13, Cheney stood out as one of the ten Republicans who voted for impeachment. Despite not making a public statement, she shared that former President George W. Bush privately expressed his support for her, saying, "Liz, Courage is in short supply these days. Thank you for yours. You showed strong leadership and I'm not surprised. Lead on. 43."
Cheney and her father were among the few Republicans who attended a ceremony commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, creating a sense of isolation. As they arrived, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi greeted the former vice president with a hug. As they took their seats, the Cheneys observed the vacant rows of seats on the Republican side of the chamber.
"It's one thing to hear about what's happening in our party, but to see it, like this, in such stark terms..." Cheney writes that her father said, his voice trailing off and shaking his head.
Youre killing me, Liz
After the events of January 6, Cheney recalls a brief period of unity within the House Republican Conference, where there was a readiness to either impeach or censure Donald Trump. However, she laments that this sense of agreement did not endure.
She recalls a conversation with a GOP colleague, who remains unnamed, stating that he acknowledged Trump's actions were impeachable, but expressed fear for the safety of his wife and new baby if he were to vote for impeachment.
"I empathized with his fear," Cheney reflects. "But I also couldn't help but think, Maybe he should consider a different occupation."
Cheney's swift vote to impeach Trump and her scathing statement blaming him for inciting the Capitol attack made her a target within the House GOP conference. In February 2021, during a conference meeting, the Freedom Caucus pushed for a vote to remove Cheney from her position as GOP conference chair. She revealed that GOP leaders pressured her to apologize for anything in an attempt to ease tensions.
Cheney writes that the situation felt more reminiscent of middle school drama than a meeting of the US Congress. Despite the backlash she faced, she stood her ground during a four-hour meeting where colleagues criticized her for defying Trump. Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania even likened the situation to seeing your significant other sitting with the opposing team during the biggest game of your life.
The remark sparked an outcry from female members, shouting, "She's not your girlfriend!"
On that day, Cheney survived the vote, winning 142 to 56. However, she recalls the experience being best described by Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, who told her, "Well, I just spent four hours listening to a group of men tell a woman that she wasn't considering their feelings."
But Cheneys days in GOP leadership were numbered.
"Youre killing me, Liz," McCarthy said to her a few weeks later, after their final joint press conference, according to the book.
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On May 27, 2020, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) stood alongside House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as he addressed the press outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The Republican leaders announced their lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and congressional officials, arguing that the use of a proxy voting system for remote voting during the coronavirus pandemic is unconstitutional. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Cheney, observing the portrait of former President Ronald Reagan on the wall, inquired of McCarthy how he believed Reagan, former President George W. Bush, or her father would have responded to Trump on Jan. 6.
"This isnt their party anymore," McCarthy told her.
Afterward, Cheney writes: "The GOP was becoming an anti-Constitution party. And too many of our leaders were willing to accept that."
McConnell: I like where I am
Cheneys criticism of the Republican party extends to Senate Republicans and right-wing media personalities who she says also helped spread Trumps lies.
The book contains new information about discussions between Cheney and Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell. According to Cheney, McConnell initially maintained a strong belief that Trump should be impeached. "I like where I am," McConnell reportedly told her, in response to news stories that he was considering voting to convict Trump.
When the Senate impeachment trial began in February 2021, Cheney expressed growing concern that Mitch McConnell had lost his previous determination. According to Cheney, McConnell later shifted his stance because he thought Trump would simply fade away after 2020.
"Leader McConnell, with his long history of political astuteness and behind-the-scenes tactics, made a misstep," Cheney writes.
In her book, Cheney also criticizes right-wing media for amplifying the misinformation from Trump and his supporters. She mentions advising Ryan, a member of the Fox Corp. board, to advocate for a Fox News show that would debunk the false election claims.
Months later, Cheney learned that the show had been in the final stages of production before being shut down. It was never aired, as someone at Fox decided not to finish it. She noted that instead of airing the show, Fox allowed then-host Tucker Carlson to spread "intentional disinformation" about Jan. 6.
Visitor from another planet
The book unveils fresh insights into Cheney's tenure as vice chair of the Jan. 6 select committee. Following her removal as GOP conference chair in May 2021, Cheney agreed to join the committee upon receiving an invitation from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
At the panel's first meeting, Cheney felt like a visitor from another planet surrounded by Democrats. Later, she discovered that Pelosi had ignored her staff's concerns about appointing a conservative Republican.
Cheney states that Pelosi's team compiled a list of the 10 most negative comments she made about her. When Speaker Pelosi saw the list, she handed it back to her staffer and questioned why she was being presented with irrelevant matters.
The unlikely connection between them led Cheney to praise Pelosi's support and she was immediately impressed by Pelosi's leadership.
Purely wishful thinking
Despite our disagreements on virtually everything else, Nancy Pelosi and I were in complete agreement on one crucial matter: the protection of our Constitution and the safeguarding of our republic.
Cheney's book concludes with a stark prediction for 2024: that Donald Trump poses a threat to the nation's future.
"Trump has made it clear that he believes the Constitution can and should be set aside when convenient, that the events of January 6th were justified, and that in a potential second term, he would seek revenge," Cheney asserts. "The belief that our institutions will defend themselves is simply wishful thinking from those who choose to ignore the truth."
Cheney's warning also applies to elected officials and leaders of the Republican Party who are associated with Trump. "We have also discovered that the majority of Republicans in Congress are willing to comply with Donald Trump's requests, no matter what they may be," Cheney states. "I regret to say that America can no longer rely on elected Republicans to safeguard our republic."
The book "Oath and Honor" concludes with Cheney emphasizing the significance of working together, across party lines, to defeat Donald Trump and those who have supported him.
Cheney concludes: "This is the cause of our time."
