Thread by @alaynatreene

New: Cheney opened up today’s conference meeting to remove her with these words, from a source familiar —

“I am going to take a moment of personal privilege and then we will have the prayer and pledge.

I have tremendous affection and admiration for many of you in this room”

“I know we all came to Washington to do important work for the nation. History has chosen every single one of us. And history has put us here together at this moment of challenge for our country.

Our nation needs this Republican Party as a strong party based on truth”

“To do that, we must be true to our principles & to the constitution. We cannot let the former president drag us backward & make us complicit in his efforts to unravel our democracy. Down that path lies our destruction, and potentially the destruction of our country,” said Cheney

“If you want leaders who will enable and spread his destructive lies, I’m not your person, you have plenty of others to choose from. That will be their legacy”

But I promise you this, after today, I will be leading the fight to restore our party and our nation to conservative principles, to defeating socialism, to defending our republic, to making the GOP worthy again of being the party of Lincoln.

Cheney then led a prayer:

“Dear God, Fill us with a love of freedom and a reverence for all your gifts. Help us to understand the gravity of this moment. Help us to remember that democratic systems can fray and suddenly unravel. When they do, they are gone forever”

“Help us to speak the truth and remember the words of John 8:32 - Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

She concluded: “May our world see the power of faith. May our nation know the strength of selfless service. And may our enemies continue to taste the inescapable force of freedom.

In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.”