Representative Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican and former member of the GOP leadership in the House, on Monday called on her party’s leaders to allow the spread of white nationalism after a gunman believed a racist ideology killed 10 people in a grocery store in Buffalo.
“The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy and anti-Semitism,” said Ms. Cheney. wrote on Twitter† “History has taught us that what begins with words ends much worse. @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who adhere to them.”
Her statement came as Republicans in Congress angrily pushed back on charges that their language and actions perpetuated the kind of racism and xenophobia apparently behind the massacre.
But as of Monday morning, none of them had spoken out against the racist “white replacement theory” that motivated the killings or the white nationalism that underpinned them.
Some Republican lawmakers have openly promoted white nationalism. In February, Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona attended a conference hosted by Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist.
California Republican and minority leader Kevin McCarthy ultimately called their actions “appalling and wrong,” but he did not formally reprimand or punish them.
While top Republicans have been less overt than some of their far-right counterparts, many of their attacks on Democrats appeal to racial and ethnic grievances and share themes with replacement theory, which argues that Western elites, sometimes manipulated by Jews, want to replace and white Americans. make powerless.
Much attention in the aftermath of the shooting was on New York Representative Elise Stefanik, who represents a district in Northern New York and replaced Ms. Cheney as the No. 3 House Republican last year.
Ms. Stefanik has pushed the false claim that the Democrats planned to legalize undocumented immigrants to replace American voters and bring themselves to power.
In September, she posted a campaign ad on Facebook claiming that the Democrats were plotting “a PERMANENT ELECTION UPRISE” by granting “amnesty” to undocumented immigrants, who, according to her ad, would “overthrow our current electorate and create a permanent liberal majority in Washington.” to create.”
She and other Republicans have falsely accused President Biden in recent days of sending pallets of infant formula to the children of undocumented immigrants at the expense of Americans who need it, amid a national shortage.
Representative Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican and an ally of Ms. Cheney, said other party leaders should be held accountable for Ms. Stefanik’s statements.
Did you know: @EliseStefanik is pushing the white replacement theory? The #3 in the house GOP,” He wrote†
He noted that Ms. Cheney had been removed from her party leadership after she criticized former President Donald J. Trump for his role in instigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
“@GOPLeader should be asked about this,” added Mr Kinzinger, referring to Ms Stefanik’s statements.
Alex deGrasse, a senior adviser to Ms. Stefanik, called it a “new disgusting low” to imply that the congresswoman shared some blame for the spread of the racist beliefs that inspired the shooter. Ms Stefanik, he said, “has never advocated a racist position or made a racist statement.”
In a lengthy statement on Monday denouncing “cops” against her, Ms. Stefanik denounced the violence but kept silent about the white supremacist ideas the accused killer said motivated him.
