RNC votes to censure Reps. Cheney, Kinzinger for roles on Jan. 6 committee

The Republican National Committee on Friday voted in favor of formally censuring party Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for their participation in the Democrat-led House committee's investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. 

The vote reportedly passed overwhelmingly at the RNC's annual winter meeting, this year in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The resolution on Thursday cleared an RNC committee. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel reportedly worked with Trump ally David Bossie to draw up the resolution.

"The passing of the Bossie resolution is a tremendous victory for true Republicans who are already subpoenaed by Pelosi's Witch-hunt Jan 6th Select Committee and a defeat for traitor to our constitutional republic Liz Cheney," RNC member Solomon Yue said. 

McDaniel said about the censure: "We've had two members engage in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse. This has gone beyond their original intent. They are not sticking up for hard-working Republicans."

The censure vote is the strongest and most public effort thus far to punish Cheney, of Wyoming, and Kinzinger, of Illinois, each vocal critics of former President Trump.

The censure is a lighter sentence, however, than what was in the original resolution – to expel both members from the House GOP Conference. 

Some Republican lawmakers, including Sens. Mitt Romney, of Utah, and Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana, have questioned the wisdom of the censure.

Also during the party meetings this week, leaders of the Wyoming GOP quietly signed a special letter that will allow the national party to fund Cheney's 2020 primary challenger, Trump-backed Harriet Hageman.