McCarthy Does Not Say Whether Cheney Is ‘Still a Good Fit’ for Leadership Team

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is not weighing in on whether Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo,), the No. 3 Republican in the House, is a “good fit” for leadership.

Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman asked McCarthy during House Republicans’ legislative retreat “if Cheney is still a good fit for his leadership team.”

The California Republican responded by saying it was a “question for the conference.” Additionally, he suggested that “if you’re at this retreat and talking about anything besides policy, you’re ‘not being productive.’”

Cheney is one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump on the charge of “incitement of insurrection.” That vote spurred some lawmakers to push to strip her of her leadership position.

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, Cheney has made it clear that she does not believe Trump should be seen as a leader of the Republican Party.

During an appearance on Fox News in February, she pointed to what she saw as Trump’s role in inciting the mob of his supporters that stormed the U.S. Capitol. She added, “That is a person who does not have a role as a leader of our party going forward.”

Later that month, Cheney publicly broke with McCarthy when asked if she believed Trump should speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

She responded that the decision was up to the organizers of the event, but, “I’ve been clear in my views about President Trump and the extent to which following Jan. 6, I don’t believe that he should be playing a role in the future of the party or the country.”

Her comments led Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) to argue that Cheney, who he said he considers a friend, had “forfeited her right to be chair of the Republican conference.”

“You cannot stand up and make a statement that is so out of step with the Republican conference and where the American people, who support President Trump, are,” he told reporters.

He added, “I think it is unfortunate that she made those remarks. I think it was shorted sight. But I also think it was purposeful, and I think that’s the problem. And I think that it is time for us to have another conversation about the leadership of the Republican conference.”

At the Republicans’ retreat this week, Cheney broke with McCarthy on the scope of a potential commission to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. She said it should be focused on the events of that day and the events leading up to it.

Meanwhile, McCarthy said he believes the commission should also examine violence that occurred during protests that broke out after the death of George Floyd last year.

Cheney has also said that she would not support the former president if he ran again in 2024 and secured the party’s nomination for the White House.