Liz Cheney vs. Trumplicans

It's looking increasingly likely that Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) will lose her leadership position within the House Republican conference, and it's not for failing to be conservative enough. It's for failing to fall in line behind former President Donald Trump. 

Cheney, who drew the ire of her fellow Republicans when she voted to impeach Trump for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, has been increasingly outspoken during the past few weeks in her criticism of the former president, and while she survived a vote taken shortly after impeachment, the tides seem to be turning against her.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spelled it out bluntly. “Can we move forward without President Trump? The answer is no,” Graham told Fox News' Sean Hannity. “I’ve always liked Liz Cheney but she’s made a determination that the Republican Party can’t grow with President Trump. I’ve determined we can’t grow without him.”

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) is one of many GOP members of Congress who have been grilled by reporters lately about the situation, and while he shied away from answering directly if Cheney should be kicked out of leadership, he noticeably did not defend her.

In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find any Republicans willing to defend Cheney, even though her voting record is far more conservative that Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), the one strategizing to take her spot.

The voices who are championing her mostly consist of Republicans no longer in office, Congressional Democrats (who usually add the disclaimer "I disagree with Cheney on pretty much everything, but..."), and members of the media like MSNBC's Chuck Todd. “This ends either with the GOP imploding, or worse, the country,” said Todd.

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Foxitis?

Multiple defendants facing charges relating to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol had virtual appearances in court Thursday, via Zoom conference call, and the scene, as described by those who monitored the multi-defendant hearing, was an absolute train wreck.

There was one defendant whose attorney claimed he was suffering from "Foxmania" or "Foxitis,"  a result of what listening to what Fox News Channel “fed to him” over the course of several months leading up to Jan. 6th.

Then there was the guy who kept interrupting the proceedings with expletive-laced rants and complaints about taxes. The court muted him, he figured out how to unmute himself, he'd start yelling again, the court would mute him again, and this continued for quite a while until someone figured out how to permanently mute him. 

The judge referred him for a hearing to determine if he is competent to stand trial, which even his attorney agreed was for the best.

Watch the legal circus unfold here.