• Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger vowed to fight former President Donald Trump’s lies after RNC members took the first step to censure them Thursday
  • In a series of tweets, Cheney said the leaders of the Republican Party ‘have made themselves willing hostages’ to former President Donald Trump
  • Kinzinger sang a similar tune saying members of the GOP ‘allowed conspiracies and toxic tribalism hinder their ability to see clear-eyed’ 

Defiant Republican Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger vowed to fight former President Donald Trump‘s lies after Republican National Committee members took the first step to censure them for serving on the January 6 committee.

Both rogue Republican lawmakers put out statements Thursday after GOP officials meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah for the RNC’s winter meeting passed a resolution earlier that day that would formerly censure the duo.

In a series of tweets, Rep. Liz Cheney said the leaders of the Republican Party 'have made themselves willing hostages' to former President Donald Trump

Rep. Adam Kinzinger sang a similar tune saying members of the GOP 'allowed conspiracies and toxic tribalism hinder their ability to see clear-eyed'

Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican who will retire at the end of this term in lieu of facing a MAGA-backed primary opponent, echoed the sentiment.

The resolution that passed Thursday through an RNC subcommittee is a watered-down version, according to the Associated Press.

The original version would have called on the House Republican Conference to oust Cheney and Kinzinger, the only two Republicans serving on the January 6 House select committee, which was formed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top House Democrat, after the Senate Republican Leader MitchMcConnell tanked a bill that formed a 9/11-style bipartisan commission to investigate the Capitol attack.

The subcommittee debated the censure motion for hours.

‘We want to send a message that we’re disapproving of their conduct. It´s a middle ground,’ RNC member Harmeet Dhillon told the Associated Press, noting that the vote was unanimous.

‘This is not about being anti-Trump. There are many anti-Trump Republicans that are not included in this resolution. These two took a specific action to defy party leadership,’ she added.

All 168 RNC members gathered in Salt Lake City are expected to vote on the censure motion Friday.

The resolution accuses the two lawmakers of  ‘participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse’ and of ‘utilizing their past professed political affiliation to mask Democrat abuse of prosecutorial power for partisan purposes.’

It says the RNC will ‘immediately cease any and all support’ of Cheney and Kinzinger, adding that the party denounces ‘those who deliberately jeopardize victory in November.’

The initial draft, obtained by the AP, accused Cheney and Kinzinger of serving as ‘pawns to parrot Democrat talking points’ on the House select committee.

It also chided them for ‘pursuing what amounts to a third political impeachment of President Trump.’

‘The Conference must not be sabotaged by Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger who have demonstrated, with actions and words, that they support Democrat efforts to destroy President Trump more than they support winning back a Republican majority in 2023,’ it said.