The highest ranking female House Republican called on Iowa GOP Rep. Steve King to resign from Congress over his recent comments to The New York Times on white supremacy and white nationalism.
"We do not support it or agree with it, and as I said I think he should find another line of work," House GOP Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., told reporters Tuesday morning.
Cheney was one of the first House Republicans to criticize King and characterize his words as "racist" following a Times story last week in which he was quoted questioning why the term white supremacy had become offensive.
King has denied all allegations of racism, and said he was misquoted. Unmoved by his defense, House Republicans acted swiftly on Monday to strip him of his committee assignments on the Agriculture, Judiciary and Small Business panels in the new Congress. King denounced that move as a "political decision."
Further punishment awaits King this week. Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., introduced a resolution of disapproval to specifically rebuke King for his comments, and more broadly condemn ideologies that fuel white supremacy and white nationalism. Democrats want to move swiftly to hold the vote Tuesday, which is Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
Other House Democrats, including Reps. Tim Ryan of Ohio and Bobby Rush of Illinois, are making a push to censure King — a more formal punishment which requires a lawmaker to stand in the well of the House chamber to face his colleagues for the rebuke.
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