‘In Wyoming men don’t wear make-up’: Cheney spokesperson hits out at Matt Gaetz amid GOP civil war

Accused of aiming to take her job, Florida congressman tweets that he is ‘not seeking a position in House Leadership’

Defending Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney after attacks from Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, a spokesperson for Ms Cheney said "Gaetz can leave his beauty bag at home. In Wyoming, the men don’t wear makeup.”

The spokesperson was most likely referring to a clip from the HBO documentary The Swamp in which Mr Gaetz puts on makeup before TV interviews at the capitol.

The spat comes after Rep Cheney, the House Republican Conference Chair and number 3 in the House Republican leadership, voted to impeach former President Donald Trump along with nine other Republicans and all 222 House Democrats. 

Rep Cheney said in a statement: “There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution."

Arizona Representative Andy Biggs, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and one of the members behind a petition demanding that Rep Cheney resign, said that it wasn't necessarily her vote to impeach that was the worst part of her actions, it was the words she used.

Rep Biggs told Fox News: "She puts out a statement saying that what this president did is maybe one of the most heinous things in the history of the US presidency. Her words were used over and over again when the Democrats were making their speeches on the floor of the House. And they will be used again when the Senate opens up another bogus trial in the Senate. That is what the problem is.”

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Rep Gaetz, one the Republicans leading the charge to oust Rep Cheney from her position, plans to rally with local Republicans in her home state of Wyoming at the state capitol in Cheyenne on Thursday, The Washington Examiner reported.

Accused of aiming to take her job, Rep Gaetz tweeted that he was "not seeking a position in House Leadership".

Rep Cheney is already facing a primary challenger because of her decision to vote to impeach Mr Trump. The Wyoming Republican Party put out a statement saying: "There has not been a time during our tenure when we have seen this type of an outcry from our fellow Republicans, with the anger and frustration being palpable in the comments we have received. Our telephone has not stopped ringing, our email is filling up, and our website has seen more traffic than at any previous time. The consensus is clear that those who are reaching out to the Party vehemently disagree with Representative Cheney’s decision and actions."

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who supports keeping Rep Cheney in her leadership position, said during an interview with Full Court Press: "I support her, but I also have concerns. She took a position as a number three member in conference, she never told me ahead of time and one thing about leadership that we're gonna work together, we should understand we know that this is going to become a difficulty. She can have a difference of opinion."