Liz Cheney chose to serve her country

Rep. Liz Cheney has been under attack by some in her own party. Once revered, she is seen by many Republicans as taking the wrong side. I am bothered and saddened by the vitriolic rhetoric slung at her.

It’s my understanding that Rep. Cheney voted with Trump the majority of the time on policy issues but was unwilling to go along with the big lie and sedition. She certainly stands out in Congress since most fellow Republicans choose to stand with Donald Trump whether they really believe the election was stolen or not.

Most Republicans in office have devolved by their willingness to go along with Trump’s lies and treachery. I heard an interview with the Capitol Police officers talking about how betrayed they feel. One of them said he had voted for Trump and felt especially betrayed. They also said the only Republicans who have spoken to them or apologized are Reps. Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. The other Republicans on the Hill seem to be willfully blind.

I think Liz Cheney is a woman of integrity who is open to learning, evolving and going where the facts lead, regardless of fear of losing her job or favor with her own party.

Some denounce her because they falsely pronounce, without facts, that the object of the Jan. 6 committee is to beat down and destroy Donald Trump. Donald Trump has destroyed himself and, even more sadly, he has destroyed the lives of several good people by his actions and inactions in his attempt to illegally hang onto power. Trump is still touting the big lie even when the testimony of faithful, law-abiding Republicans affirm under oath that he was told over and over again that it was and is a lie.

Chair Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Cheney and the entire Jan. 6 Committee are showing us testimony from Trump’s former White House staff, family and other loyalists taken under oath. If blame falls on Donald Trump’s doorstep, so be it. No one is above the law. It’s not Liz Cheney’s fault. I think she, like others, seem motivated to find the truth and uphold the Constitution and our democracy.

And kudos to Liz Cheney to admit she was wrong about her original stance on same-sex marriage. Being able to admit when you’ve been wrong about something does not make you weak; it makes you a person who has evolved. It’s not weak to reflect on your own values and discard the ones that no longer work for you and to say these are no longer your values.

I was raised as an evangelical and voted Republican in the past. But when Trump was elected with the backing of evangelicals, this was my point of change. I had to examine what as a Christian I really believed and what I stood for and it certainly was not having an individual like Donald Trump as my president. I no longer believe in the Republican Party’s policies on guns, civil rights and women's rights.

Also, and this is a big one, the majority of the Republican Congress colluded with an ex-president to hold on to power through their continued silence and their unwillingness to certify the legitimate election on that fateful night. It is a stain on the Republican Party. This lack of courage and leadership impacts many patriotic Republicans who still hold on to the big election lie.

Rep. Cheney didn’t pick partisan sides; she chose to serve her country and uphold her oath of office. For that I am grateful.

Nadine Maurer is a member of Stronger Together Huddle, a group engaged in supporting and promoting the common good of all. She lives in Monroe.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Nadine Maurer: Liz Cheney chose to serve her country