RNC officials say 'legitimate political discourse' referred to fake Trump elector, not Jan. 6 rioters

A relatively small group of Republican officials have strongly criticized last week's Republican National Committee resolution censuring Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), arguing it's bad politics for the national party to criticize Republicans and a distracting blunder to suggest the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was "legitimate political discourse." But the majority of Republicans agree with the censure resolution, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters Tuesday.

"I'm just telling you, in my state, it's not helpful to have a bunch of D.C. Republicans commenting on what the RNC — and frankly, probably most Missouri Republicans — support," Hawley said. "Super unhelpful, and super great way to get themselves inserted into that race, which I don't want." Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who, like Hawley, objected to the certification of President Biden's victory after the Capitol riot was quelled, said Cheney and Kinzinger's participation on the Jan. 6 committee is "not helpful."

RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel defended the censure in a Townhall op-ed Tuesday, arguing that "the awful events of that day do not justify Cheney or Kinzinger enabling a partisan committee whose real purpose seems to be helping Democrats' electoral prospects at the cost of potentially ruining innocent people's lives."

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"Several members of the committee assert that when the censure mentioned 'ordinary citizens' and 'legitimate political discourse,' it was referring to people like Kathy Berden, a Republican committee member from Michigan who put herself on a fake slate of electors" for former President Donald Trump, The New York Times reports. McDaniel had cited Berden, a friend of hers, in weekend cleanup calls as an example of why the RNC had not equated Jan. 6 rioters with legitimate political protesters, The Washington Post reports.

RNC members portray Berden "as an innocent victim of an overzealous investigation, noting that she is elderly and a widow," the Times reports. The House Jan. 6 committee subpoenaed her last month "as part of an effort to find out who orchestrated the drive to put forward false electors in several states Mr. Biden won, a potential crime."