Aug 20, 2020 - Politics & Policy

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney calls QAnon "dangerous lunacy"

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Thursday became the highest-ranking House Republican to condemn the QAnon conspiracy theory, calling it "dangerous lunacy that should have no place in American politics," per Politico's Melanie Zanona.

Driving the news: President Trump said on Wednesday that while he does not know much about QAnon, he understands its supporters "like me very much" and that they "love America."

Why it matters: Few high-ranking Republicans have spoken out against the baseless conspiracy theory.

  • QAnon falsely alleges that a powerful cabal of sex traffickers within the "deep state" is engaged in a global fight to take down Trump.

Of note: Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Jeb Bush, the former Republican governor of Florida, have slammed Trump for his remarks on QAnon.

  • In a virtual interview on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said "I do not agree with [QAnon's] beliefs at all," when asked about incoming Republican nominee for Georgia's 14th Congressional District Marjorie Taylor Greene.

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Why it matters: Van Ausdal's abrupt departure gives Greene an easier path to a seat in the House. She has repeatedly made offensive remarks about Black people, Jews and Muslims in Facebook videos and has publicly supported the QAnon movement and other far-right conspiracy theories.

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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 32,390,204 — Total deaths: 985,302 — Total recoveries: 22,286,345 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m ET: 7,020,967 — Total deaths: 203,481 — Total recoveries: 2,710,183 — Total tests: 98,476,600 — Map.
  3. States: "We’re not closing anything going forward": Florida fully lifts COVID restaurant restrictions — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam tests positive for coronavirus.
  4. Health: Young people accounted for 20% of cases this summer.
  5. Business: Coronavirus has made airports happier places —The expiration of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance looms.
  6. Education: Where bringing students back to school is most risky.
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