Kevin McCarthy Leading 'Pro-Putin' Republicans Is 'Dangerous': Liz Cheney - Newsweek

Representative Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, expressed her concerns connected Sunday astir House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's governmental goals and his caller remarks astir slowing assistance to Ukraine.

McCarthy is hoping to become the adjacent House Speaker if Republicans unafraid the House bulk successful adjacent month's midterms, replacing existent Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat.

During an interrogation connected NBC's Meet the Press, big Chuck Todd asked the GOP lawmaker: "You intelligibly deliberation this is simply a mistake...you are acrophobic astir his speakership, what specifically concerns you?"

"The talker is 2nd successful enactment to presidency and astatine each moment, since frankly, the aftermath of the predetermination successful 2020, erstwhile Minority Leader McCarthy has had the accidental to bash the close happening oregon bash thing that serves his ain governmental purpose, helium ever chooses to service his ain governmental purpose," Cheney responded. "That extends to what we've seen conscionable successful the past fewer days with these comments astir assistance to Ukraine."

Cheney added that the GOP could perchance nary longer enactment Ukrainians successful their combat against Russia's penetration successful the aftermath of McCarthy's caller comments.

McCarthy, a California Republican, told Punchbowl News connected Tuesday that the Republican Party will not constitute a "blank check" for Ukraine if they triumph backmost the House successful November's midterms.

"I deliberation radical are gonna beryllium sitting successful a recession and they're not going to constitute a blank cheque to Ukraine," McCarthy said. "Ukraine is important, but astatine the aforesaid clip it can't beryllium the lone happening they do, and it can't beryllium a blank check."

Cheney connected Sunday said that McCarthy could perchance pb immoderate Republicans who person governmental aspirations that look to beryllium aligning with Russian President Vladimir Putin's interests.

Above, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy listens to Representative Liz Cheney during a quality league connected February 13, 2019, successful Washington, D.C. Cheney expressed her concerns connected Sunday astir McCarthy's governmental goals and his caller remarks astir slowing assistance to Ukraine. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

"The conception that present Kevin McCarthy is going to marque himself the person of the pro-Putin helping of my enactment is conscionable a stunning thing," she said. "It's dangerous, helium knows better, but the information that helium is consenting to spell down the way of suggesting that America volition nary longer basal for freedom, I deliberation tells you he's consenting to sacrifice everything for his ain governmental gain."

The congresswoman made akin remarks successful March erstwhile she criticized retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, describing him arsenic portion of the "Putin helping of the GOP" aft his remarks astir Russian forces being initially "too gentle" successful Ukraine. He besides described Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arsenic a "puppet."

That aforesaid month, Cheney besides criticized Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, implicit her comments astir the U.S. effect to Ukraine.

Greene said that Ukraine and Russia person violated bid agreements erstwhile it comes to the conflict. In response, Cheney said that Greene was touting Putin's propaganda.

"Putin is targeting and slaughtering civilians successful a brutal unprovoked warfare against Ukraine, a sovereign antiauthoritarian nation," Cheney tweeted astatine the time. "Only the Kremlin and their utile idiots would telephone that 'a struggle successful which bid agreements person been violated by some sides.'"

Reiterating her enactment for Ukraine, Cheney said this week that the U.S. indispensable marque definite it is "doing everything necessary" to support Ukrainians in their conflict against Russia.

"I don't cognize that I tin accidental I was surprised, but I deliberation it's truly disgraceful that Minority Leader McCarthy suggested that if the Republicans get the bulk backmost that we volition not proceed to supply enactment for the Ukrainians," she added.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed connected Friday that the GOP volition proceed aiding Ukraine arsenic it is successful America's champion involvement arsenic it sends a connection to Russia and China that they can't "simply gobble up smaller neighbors."

He besides said that a GOP bulk successful the Senate "will absorption its oversight connected ensuring timely transportation of needed weapons and greater allied assistance to Ukraine, rebuilding and modernizing our subject capabilities, lasting up to violent states similar Iran, and shoring up our defenses successful Asia to deter Chinese aggression."

Newsweek reached retired to McCarthy's bureau for comment.