DOUGLAS — Former Vice President Dick Cheney and former congresswoman Liz Cheney escaped censure by the Wyoming Republican Party at its central committee meeting on Saturday because those in the state GOP don’t consider them “Wyoming Republicans” anymore.
The Cheneys both said earlier in the week that they will vote for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid for president because they oppose former President Donald Trump.
At the Wyoming GOP’s Central Committee meeting on Saturday, the party declined to pass a resolution censuring the Cheneys because most of the membership does not view them as “Wyoming Republicans.” A censure is a verbal condemnation and holds no legal bearing.
Those at the meeting rejected the first consideration of the censure.
About an hour later, Big Horn GOP Committeeman Scott Brown brought up a new proposal to “denounce” the Cheneys, which was also rejected by a large majority.
Converse County Chair Bill Tibbs warned against giving Liz Cheney more attention, which he believed would happen by passing either resolution.
“I’m tired of hearing her name everywhere I go,” he said, gesturing wildly. “I go on a cruise ship, ‘Oh, we’re glad you guys got rid of Liz Cheney.’ Well, I’m sick and tired of that.”
During the meeting, it was also announced that Dick Cheney is not registered to vote in Wyoming, but his daughter still is, as a Republican. Dick Cheney voted in the 2022 primary election in Wyoming.
Not Recognized
Carbon County resident Joey Correnti spoke against both proposals because he doesn’t view the Cheneys as legitimate Republicans.
“We can change the word to whatever we want, it still doesn’t make Dick Cheney a Wyoming Republican,” he said.
He also said the discussion on Liz Cheney was out of order because the party no longer recognizes her as a Republican.
“It’s actually asking us to recognize Liz Cheney when this body has already passed a resolution rescinding the recognition of Liz Cheney by this body,” Correnti said. “So, by doing this, we’re undoing that.”
In early 2021, the Wyoming GOP censured Liz Cheney for her opposition to Trump after he mounted his attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Later that year, the party went back to the well, voting by a close margin to not recognize her as a Republican in the Cowboy State. That vote was brought up multiple times during Saturday’s discussion.
Although Tibbs said he’s glad the state party took that action, he doesn’t want to give any more attention to the congresswoman.
“If we do this, I guarantee it will be on national news tomorrow,” he said. “All over the country we’ll be giving her more publicity. Vote this thing down.”
The Twisted Path Of Time
Although another Wyoming GOP censure of Liz Cheney wouldn’t have been shocking, a rebuke of the former Vice President would have been more so.
Dick Cheney was held in high regard in Wyoming while serving as vice president and when he represented the state in Congress for 10 years. There’s also a federal building named after him in Casper.
Goshen County GOP Chair Kirk Haas said the name of this building warrants a discussion in the future.
Conversely, Dick Cheney was reviled by many Democrats while he was vice president, which is why his support for Harris is stunning to so many.
It’s All About Trump
Before their opposition of Trump, both Cheneys were known for their conservative voting records.
Their flip is predominantly about Trump and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, with Dick Cheney saying Trump can “never be trusted with power again.”
On Friday, Trump wrote a scathing post on his social media platform Truth Social in response to the Cheneys’ support for Harris and Liz Cheney’s work on the United States Select Committee on the January 6 Attack.
“Dick Cheney is an irrelevant RINO, along with his daughter, who lost by the largest margin in the History of Congressional Races!” Trump wrote.
In his Truth Social post, Trump also railed against Dick Cheney for not seeking a pardon for I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, Cheney’s former vice presidential chief of staff who in 2007 was convicted on felony charges of perjury and obstruction of justice related to a CIA leak scandal.
“They couldn’t get Scooter Libby, who did so much for them (but was so unfairly treated!), PARDONED. I did it!” wrote Trump, who pardoned Libby in 2018.
Trump also called Dick Cheney “the King of Endless, Nonsensical Wars, wasting Lives and Trillions of Dollars, just like Comrade Kamala Harris.
In contrast, Trump described himself as “the Peace President,” who only he alone can stop World War III.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
