Republican congressional candidate Harriet Hageman and incumbent Rep. Liz Cheney exchanged barbs Thursday when Hageman released a statement deriding a Republican Senator’s public approval of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Kentaji Jackson.
Cheney in turn, while voicing her own reservations about Jackson, pointed to Hageman’s endorsement by former President Donald Trump as perpetuating the “dangerous lie” that the 2020 election was stolen, a move which, Cheney wrote, undermines the U.S. Constitution.
The dispute stems from the announcement by U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, that he would support Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, and his endorsement of Cheney.
Not a Biologist
Romney announced on Monday that he would vote to confirm Jackson to the Supreme Court because her record and testimony, he said, indicated “that she is a well-qualified jurist and person of honor.”
The announcement came after Jackson made headlines in March for refusing during confirmation hearings to define the word “woman,” saying “I’m not a biologist.”
Jackson was confirmed Thursday as a Supreme Court Justice.
Slammed Jackson
Both Hageman and Cheney slammed Jackson on Thursday in their public statements against one another.
Hageman pointed to Romney’s support of Jackson, writing that Romney “is one of Liz Cheney’s closest allies in Washington, DC.”
The Utah senator had headlined a fundraiser for Cheney in March. Romney and Cheney were among a handful of Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump.
“You can tell a lot about a person by the company she keeps,” wrote Hageman, referencing Romney’s support for Cheney and his subsequent vote in favor of Jackson’s confirmation.
But Cheney, in an email to Cowboy State Daily, countered Hageman’s statement, saying Hageman’s “(embrace of) President Trump’s dangerous lie that the 2020 election was stolen,” is a sign that Hageman has “forgotten” to represent the U.S. Constitution amid her campaign.
Cheney implied that Hageman and Jackson share a commonality of irreverence for the Constitution, as Cheney posited that “if President Trump’s plan had worked, it would have permanently ended the peaceful transition of power.”
Dueling Statements
Cheney requested specifically that her statement be reproduced in full.
Hageman’s also, will be rendered in its full form.
“I almost never respond to statements by Harriet Hageman, but I will make this exception. Although Members of the House don’t get to vote on Supreme Court nominees, I was very troubled by Judge Jackson’s apparent position on ‘natural rights.’ I believe deeply that our rights come from God, and are enshrined in our Constitution’s Bill of Rights. That is why I will never abandon my oath to the Constitution, no matter what the consequences, no matter what the politics.
Harriet also took an oath – as a member of the Wyoming Bar – to ‘support, obey, and defend’ our Constitution. Yet now, to try to win a campaign, she is embracing President Trump’s dangerous lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
More than 60 courts across our country have ruled against President Trump and others who tried to overturn the 2020 election. President Trump’s claims were so egregious that his lead lawyer didn’t just lose those cases – he lost his license to practice law.
Just last week a federal judge said if ‘President Trump’s plan had worked, it would have permanently ended the peaceful transition of power, undermining American democracy and the Constitution.’
Harriet claims to ride for the brand, but she seems to have forgotten that our brand is the Constitution. Anyone who is unwilling to support our courts, our system of Justice and our Constitution is not fit to serve.” — Rep. Liz Cheney
“Members of the House don’t get a vote on Supreme Court nominees, but this is as close to a proxy as you’re going to find, since one of Liz Cheney’s closest allies in Washington, D.C. has voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the highest court.
Judge Jackson has shown that she is more than lenient on child sex abusers, does not recognize the natural rights of American citizens as guaranteed by our Bill of Rights, and refused to define a ‘woman’ during the Senate hearings, thereby confirming that she is a left-wing radical and will rule that way as a Justice.
We can expect her to legislate from the bench and will no doubt write opinions that are harmful to Wyoming.
You can tell a lot about a person by the company she keeps. Cheney can have Mitt Romney, and I’ll take my support from President Donald Trump, Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy, Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, and Sen. Rand Paul.
I will be an America First member of Congress and will always act in accordance with the views and values of the people of Wyoming.” — Harriet Hageman
