Andra Day for InStyle US - June 2021!
From celebrated singer to Oscar-nominated actress (in her first-ever role), Andra Day has translated her unparalleled soulfulness into stardom and is covering InStyle’s June Issue. In her cover story, Day talks sexualization, dropping 40lbs for her role and leaning in to being cast as a “powerful black woman.”
On sexualization: “I didn’t want any element of sexualization. I had come out of something in my own life—dealing with porn addiction, sex addiction,” she says, like we’re just a couple girlfriends chatting about everyday weaves and woes. “I’m being very, very candid with you because I’m not the only one. But I knew I wanted all of that very much gone.”
On portraying Billie Holiday: “I feel now, after playing Billie, that I’m honoring her, and the strength that is femininity. I’m definitely in a healthier place to enjoy that because I’m outside of the addiction, if you will. So, yeah, it’s been really fun, because it’s been very new for me.”
On dropping 40lbs for the role: “I’ve had people ask me, ‘Do you feel prettier now that you’ve lost weight?’ I was like, ‘Hell, no! I liked being juicy! I was cool,’” she says, laughing. “But I do like the way [the weight loss] feels on my body, I like the way it feels on my joints. You do notice a difference. Besides, to me, there is no such thing as a classic beauty. Beauty takes on so many different forms, in different times and depending on the nation. It’s just about being confident, loving yourself, and understanding your value.”
On portraying a powerful black woman: “Somebody was trying to tell me the other day, ‘Just make sure you don’t get typecast, because you don’t want to always be playing the powerful Black woman.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I do. I also am one.’” “This is just a season for beautiful Black girl love and unity. And it’s amazing.” “This is just a season for beautiful Black girl love and unity. And it’s amazing.”
On feeling beautiful because of Billie: “I definitely do. And it has to do with Billie. It was almost like she said, ‘Sis, we’re going to have to close this, because I have to survive.’ She opened me up to valuing myself in a way that I hadn’t fully before.”
The June issue of InStyle, available on newsstands, on Amazon, and for digital download May 14th.
Style Credits:
Cover 1: Hermès Scarf | Mateo Earrings and Rings
Cover 2: Collina Strada Bodysuit | Wrapped by Nellz Headwrap | Erdem Brooch | Chanel Fine Jewelry Ring (left hand) | Cartier High Jewelry Ring
Image: Dior Bralette | Cee Cee’s Closet NYC Headwrap | Almasika Earrings
Styled by Styling by Julia von Boehm
#RHOA: Falynn Guobadia Has Issued A Statement On Her Ex-Husband's Engagement To Porsha Williams!
It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours to 48 hours for Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams. Since sharing images of herself with an engagement ring on while cozied up to Simon Guobadia, she has confirmed that they’re in love and engaged, and so has he, after a whirlwind month-long relationship. But one person the public has wanted to hear from in all of this (and no, not Dennis McKinley), is Falynn Guobadia. She has issued a a brief statement on the engagement news of her ex, shared by her reps, that certainly says a lot.
“I want to thank everyone for reaching out to me and offering their love and support,” she said. “At this time, I am focusing on finalizing my divorce and healing. Sending positivity to all of you.”
As previously shared, less than a month ago, Falynn revealed that she and Simon were going their separate ways.
“After two years of marriage and 5 years of friendship, Simon and I have made the difficult decision to go our separate ways,” she wrote at the time. “We are deeply thankful for the impact we have made in each other’s lives, as well as the bonds formed with each other’s children. This mutual decision was not made lightly, and despite our current willingness to be transparent, we only ask our friends and supporters to be respectful of our privacy as our family gets through this very difficult period.”
There was no word on what was behind the split, and Williams made clear that she had nothing to do with that.
“For all of you that need facts, I get the optics but Simon filed for divorce from a previous marriage in January. I had nothing to do with their divorce filing. That’s between the two of them,” she wrote in her announcement on Monday night. “Falynn and I are not friends, and Simon’s divorce has been settled. Our relationship is a positive, loving step forward in everybody’s lives.”
All of these statements surely won’t help to close the book on this matter, especially since Falynn is now saying she and Simon are still technically married. Nevertheless, we hope for both healing and happiness for all parties involved, as that’s what they’re seeking.
As a reminder, Falynn and Simon were married in 2019 but reportedly were together since 2016. They appeared, lovingly, in Season 13 of RHOA and shared no children, though she has three of her own and he has four. Williams recently ended her on-again, off-again engagement to Dennis McKinley in 2020. The two share daughter Pilar Jhena McKinley.
#MusicNews From Lyfe Jennings – ‘What’!
Veteran singer Lyfe Jennings had previously said his last album “777” from 2019 was his last one. It doesn’t look like that will be stopping him from at least giving fans new music.
Check out the brand new single he’s just released called “What”. On his official social media, he shared that this is from his upcoming project “The 6 Pack Volume 1” which will arrive on June.
LISTEN HERE
The release of the new music at this time makes sense for Lyfe Jennings, as it coincides with the airing of his episode of “Unsung” on TV One.
#HipHopNews: Nipsey Hussle Murder Trial Pushed Back Again After Suspected Killer Refused To Leave Cell!
LOS ANGELES, CA – Nipsey Hussle’s alleged killer Eric Holder has reportedly had his judicial fate postponed again, albeit this time, it was his own doing.
According to The Shade Room, Holder refused to leave his cell to attend a hearing on Tuesday (May 11), prompting newly appointed Judge Clay Jacke to delay the case once again.
On December 1, 2020, now retired Judge Robert J. Perry set a three-month delay on the trial due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which had already suspended court proceedings for over a year.
To add to the shakeup, Holder’s previous attorney, Lowynn Young, took a position on the judge’s bench, leaving criminal defense attorney Aaron Hansen in her stead.
Court officials told The Shade Room that “a new judge coupled with a new defense attorney can only mean that it will take a few months for them to get caught up on the case.”
In March, Holder attempted to get his $6.5 million dollar bail reduced down to $2.5 million, claiming he holds no risk to the general public.
It has been more than two years since Holder was arrested for one count of murder, two counts each of attempted murder and assault with a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. He stands accused of fatally shooting Victory Lap rapper Nipsey Hussle in broad daylight outside his own Marathon Clothing store — an act police say they confirmed via surveillance video.
He’s since pleaded not guilty and faces life in prison if convicted.
And The Inductees Are…….Tina Turner, the Go-Go's, Jay-Z Are a part of the diverse Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2021 inductees!
The inductees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 were announced Wednesday morning, and this is the most woman-heavy and diverse class in Rock Hall history, with many fans celebrating several long-overdue accolades.
“This diverse class of talented Inductees reflects the Rock Hall’s ongoing commitment to honor artists whose music created the sound of youth culture,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement Wednesday. “It will make for an unforgettable live celebration of music in October at this year’s Induction Ceremony in Cleveland.”
Among this year's six artists recognized in the Performer category are the Go-Go’s, 40 years after the release of their landmark debut Beauty and the Beat. Controversially, the Go-Go’s had never been nominated before, despite making history when Beauty and the Beat became the first — and to date, still only — album by an all-female band that wrote all their songs and played all their instrument to go to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The group’s longtime snubbing was addressed in their 2020 self-titled documentary, with frontwoman Belinda Carlisle speculating that they’d been blacklisted because they once complained to Hall co-founder and Rolling Stone magnate Jann Wenner about their sexist Rolling Stone cover. Wenner stepped down as Hall chairman and was replaced by MTV co-founder Sykes in 2020 — a development that industry pundits presumed would lead to more diverse future ballots.
The Class of 2021’s other two female inductees are Tina Turner (who won this year’s fan vote) and Carole King, both of whom were already in the Hall, but — bafflingly — only as co-inductees in conjunction with their respective ex-husbands, Ike Turner and Gerry Goffin. This now makes Tina Turner and Carole King only the second and third female artists to enter the Hall twice (following the Class of 2019’s Stevie Nicks), compared to the 23 male artists who are multiple inductees.
Joining the Go-Go’s, Turner, and King in the Hall is prog/powerpop songwriter and producer Todd Rundgren, on his third try, as well as alt-rock band the Foo Fighters and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, the only two Class of 2021 inductees to appear on the ballot in their first year of eligibility. (Each nominee’s first single or album had to have been released in 1995 or earlier.) The Foos’ entry also makes frontman Dave Grohl a double-inductee, as he was inducted with Nirvana when they too got in during their first year of eligibility, in 2014.
The shortlisted Class of 2021 artists that were passed over this year were Afrobeat trailblazer Fela Kuti, first-wave British metal band Iron Maiden, new wave mavericks Devo, political ‘90s alt-rockers Rage Against the Machine, glam-rockers the New York Dolls, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige, soul divas Dionne Warwick and Chaka Khan, and British avant singer-songwriter Kate Bush, several of whom had been nominated before. However, two other artists that had been controversially snubbed in the Performer bracket for years were able to finally get in this year, albeit via other special categories.
Almost exactly 40 years after the release of their landmark eighth album Computer World, German techno architects Kraftwerk — who, it could be argued, laid down the blueprint for all electronic music — are at along last being recognized in the Early Influence category, after being nominated and passed over in the Performer category an astonishing six times. Kraftwerk’s fellow 2021 Early Influence Award recipients are “Father of the Delta Blues” Charley Patton and soul/jazz poet Gil Scott-Heron, who is considered by many music historians to be the first rapper ever.
Another rap pioneer, LL Cool J, had been nominated in the Performer category a shocking six times, including this year, but he will finally enter the Hall via the Musical Excellence Award (which seems like an odd consolation prize of sorts, given that Jay-Z was inducted into the Performers category on his first attempt). This year’s other two Music Excellence honorees are legendary late musicians keyboardist Billy Preston and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads. The 2021 Ahmet Ertegun Award, which recognizes non-performing industry professionals, will go to label executive, entrepreneur, concert organizer, and film producer Clarence Avant, whose storied career was the subject of the 2019 documentary The Black Godfather.
The 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Oct. 30 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, and will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max at a later date.
Instagram Will Let People List Their Pronouns On Their Profiles!
Instagram is making it easier to address people by their defined pronouns. The company announced today that it’s allowing people to add up to four pronouns to their profile, which they can then choose to display publicly or only to their followers. (Users under 18 will have this setting turned on by default.) Instagram says people can fill out a form to have a pronoun added, if it’s not already available, or just add it to their bio instead. Instagram says this is available in a “few countries,” but doesn’t specify further. We’ve reached out for more information and will update if we hear back.
A couple Verge staffers already have the pronouns setting available to them, suggesting it’s live in the US. You can get a better sense of the feature’s user flow in the screenshots below, courtesy of news writer Jay Peters.
Other platforms also allow their users to add pronouns to their profiles. Dating apps, like OkCupid, have already introduced the feature, as have other apps like Lyft. Interestingly, Facebook allowed users to define their pronouns starting in 2014, although the feature limited people to “he/him, she/her, and they/them.” This appears to still be the case while Instagram will offer more options.
Russell Wilson and Ciara Sign First-Look Deal With Amazon Studios!
Amazon Studios has signed Russell Wilson and Ciara to a first-look deal. The husband-and-wife duo will develop both film and TV projects for the studio through their production company, Why Not You Productions.
Russell Wilson is entering his 10th season as the Seattle Seahawks quarterback. He is a seveb-time Pro Bowler and made back-to-back Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2014. Wilson threw an interception at the 1-yard line in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLIX the following year in a loss to the New England Patriots.
Ciara is a Grammy Award-winning multihyphenate who has sold over 23 million records and 22 million singles worldwide. She launched Beauty Marks Entertainment as a platform for her music, media, film, fashion, philanthropy, technology, and entrepreneurial pursuits which includes her recent appointment on the board of leading enterprise Customer Data Platform, Amperity.
Why Not You Productions was founded in 2019.
“We’re so excited and honored to work with Amazon Studios,” the couple said. “They’ve quickly become one of the most exciting studios in entertainment and have shown a strong belief in our vision to bring inspiring stories to the world. We can’t wait to begin our work together.”
“Russell and Ciara are a true powerhouse producing duo – both with extraordinary success in their respective careers on the field and the stage, their business ventures, and shared dedication to philanthropy,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “We share a passion for developing diverse and emotionally connecting stories that can inspire the world and spread positivity and hope. Our world certainly needs it.”
Lavern Cox Replacing Guliana Rancic on E's Red Carpet!
It’s the end of an era for Giuliana Rancic, who is officially getting replaced by—drumroll, please—Laverne Cox.
The Orange Is the New Black alum, 48, will replace Rancic as the host of E!’s Live from the Red Carpet, according to Entertainment Weekly. Cox will begin her duties in 2022, where she’ll lead award shows and conduct celebrity interviews for the network.
“I’m so excited and deeply humbled to be hosting E!’s iconic red-carpet coverage,” she said in a statement.
Cox continued to gush over the once in a lifetime opportunity, adding, “For many years, I would wake up early on awards show days, get my snacks in place and watch E!’s coverage all day long. I dreamed of walking red carpets. Now, not only have I had several fun and amazing personal red-carpet moments, I also get to be a red-carpet guide for E!’s discerning audience and chat with my colleagues and folks I deeply admire for these very special events in their lives. I can’t wait to get started while hopefully serving up fashion fantasies for the ages, honey.”
The news shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, since Rancic previously revealed that she’s stepping down as host after two successful decades. “After 20 fabulous years hosting E!’s red carpet, I have decided to step out of my red-carpet heels into a new pair of shoes,” Rancic said.
'Seeking Sister Wife' Star Dimitri Snowden Files For Divorce!
"Seeking Sister Wife" star Dimitri Snowden is divorcing his third wife ... another chapter in what's been a problematic last few weeks between the two, which included accusations of domestic abuse.
Dimitri filed for divorce from Christeline Peterson Tuesday in Los Angeles. The two do not have any children together.
Dimitri's divorce filing comes on the heels of Christeline's attempt at getting a restraining order against him, claiming he was physically abusive during their relationship over the past year.
As reported Christeline claimed Dimitri slammed her head into the headboard of their bed back in January, and she said he was abusive during sex. She claimed he choked her during sex, even though she told him not to, and claims she's suffered bruises, scratches and redness around her neck from the alleged choking.
TMZ broke the story ... Dimitiri and Christeline were in court last month for a hearing on the matter, and a judge tossed the case, saying Christeline did not meet the burden of proof ... so the temporary restraining order was dissolved.
Christeline came to the United States from South Africa to be courted as Dimitri's third wife on the TLC reality show ... but that was then -- now he's calling it quits.
Wendy Williams And Mike Esterman Go Their Separate Ways!
Wendy Williams and her boo Mike Esterman have parted ways.
According to Page Six, Esterman said he feels Williams needs a man who is more available. “She deserves to be with someone who may have more time,” Esterman told Page Six. He went on to say that the two “drifted apart.”
Esterman, a Maryland contractor, said they were “never an item after three dates.”
“I had placed all work-related tasks aside to get to know her on a personal level, no angles or hidden agendas,” he continued. “I can only wish her the best as we both continue the search at our own paces and remain friends in the process.”
He added, “I have enjoyed our times together and felt great to be able to make her laugh.”
The two met during Williams’s “Date Wendy” segment on her talk show earlier in the year. Afterward, the two began to spend more and more time with one another, being spotted in places like The Cheesecake Factory and D.C.’s Ben’s Chili Bowl.
In the meantime, Williams is celebrating being the newest addition to Madame Tussauds’ museum, as she just debuted her own wax figure.
Tristan Thompson’s alleged fling Sydney Chase hires attorney Gloria Allred!
Tristan Thompson’s alleged fling Sydney Chase has hired high-profile attorney Gloria Allred after he branded her a “liar” through his own legal representation.
The 23-year-old model is fighting back against claims made by the NBA star that she “lied” about having a months-long sexual relationship with him while he was back with his on-again-off-again paramour Khloé Kardashian.
Earlier this month, Thompson, 30 — who shares daughter True with Kardashian — hired a legal team who alleged there was “no truth” to Chase’s allegations of a sexual affair with the Boston Celtics player.
He followed up with a cease-and-desist notice, obtained by Page Six, stating that Chase made “numerous false and defamatory statements” about Thompson on the “No Jumper” podcast, including an unusual claim about his manhood.
“It is obvious that you are a liar,” reads the missive to Chase, written by Hollywood lawyer Marty Singer, before adding, “your claim that you had a relationship with Mr. Thompson is pure fiction.
“The purported texts you claim exist are equally fictitious, and they put words in my client’s mouth that he never said that are contrary to his thoughts and feelings. This is defamatory.”
Now the Instagram model is following suit and has hired prominent women’s rights lawyer Allred.
Allred said in a statement to Page Six, “Our client, Sydney Chase, is outraged at what she regards as false statements that have been made about her in the media by Tristan Thompson’s representatives.
“She has retained my law firm, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, to represent her and to conduct a full investigation which she believes will substantiate the relationship between her and Tristan Thompson.”
The powerhouse legal expert continued: “Mr. Thompson’s representatives have challenged her to reveal evidence of their relationship. We would be willing to share evidence that Sydney has given us, provided that Mr. Thompson will make himself available in person to answer my questions and provide us with documents that we request.
“If Mr. Thompson has nothing to hide, then we would expect that he will make himself available for questioning by me and that he will voluntarily provide the documents. Sydney would be willing to be present at this meeting to answer questions and provide documents.
“Khloé Kardashian is welcome to attend. We believe that the truth will emerge through this process. When we conclude our investigation, we will then advise Sydney regarding her legal options.”
Chase had also said on Instagram that she was not a liar and would not be acquiescing to Thompson’s attorney’s missive.
“I finally received the cease & desist hours after I made my post online,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “It was first sent to an email I no longer use. However, I’m moving forward with the truth & am choosing not to comply.
“I will not be called a liar,” she concluded.
When asked by Page Six if she had evidence of their alleged affair, Chase said, “Yes, I obviously do but this is now a legal matter that lawyers will handle. Thanks.”
Billie Eilish, The Killers, Tame Impala And Lizzo To Headline Firefly 2021!
After canceling its 2020 edition, Firefly Festival will be returning to Dover, Delaware in September, and it's got a pretty impressive lineup. Billie Eilish, The Killers, Tame Impala, and Lizzo are set to headline the four-day event, which also boasts performances from Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Cage the Elephant, Wiz Khalifa, Machine Gun Kelly, Diplo, Portugal. the Man, Nelly, Phoebe Bridgers, Blackbear, Sylvan Esso, Glass Animals, lovelytheband, Band of Horses, Taking Back Sunday, Girl in Red, Dominic Fike, Arlo Parks, Flo Milli, Denzel Curry, Duke Dumont, Big Wild, Iann Dior and many more.
Firefly is set to take place September 23-26. Tickets will be available for presale on Friday (May 14) and will be accessible to the general public on May 17 via the festival’s website. In addition to watching live music, tickets will also grant festival goers access to the campgrounds, daily yoga, a beach club, silent discos, intramural sports, permanent showers, a farmers’ market and general store.
See the full lineup below.
Firefly is the latest of several festivals to announce fall 2021 plans. Last week, Governors Ball revealed it would be returning to New York City September 24-26, and back in March Bonnaroo unveiled it'd be taking place September 2-5.
Alex Rodriguez Reportedly ‘Shocked’ By Jennifer Lopez Hanging Out With Ben Affleck!
Alex Rodriguez is reportedly “shocked by” Jennifer Lopez’s outings with Ben Affleck since their split.
According to reports, Rodriguez has been caught off guard by Lopez’s recent trips with Affleck. Lopez and Affleck have been spending a bit of time together. This week, reports detailed the two spending time together in Montana, and before that, the two were seen hanging out in Los Angeles.
“Ben and Jen spent several days together in Montana,” a source told Us Weekly on Monday. “It was just the two of them on vacation together. Big Sky is a special place to Ben.” According to sources, the two are just friends and have been distant friends for years now. However, an insider close to Rodriguez says he’s shocked that his ex has “moved on.”
“He truly thought they would be able to make it work and reconnect. He has been reaching out to J.Lo trying to meet with her, and she has been very short with him,” the source claimed to E!.
The source went on to say that Rodriguez is “upset” by the news of her spending quality time with Affleck, another one of her ex-fiances. “She’s not interested in rekindling anything with A-Rod,” the source said.
Ellen Degeneres Ending Talk Show After Upcoming Season!
Ellen DeGeneres will end her namesake talk show next year — at the conclusion of its 19th season, according to a report.
"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" is currently in production of Season 18. DeGeneres will discuss her decision to end the show in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, scheduled to air on Thursday.
Nielsen data shows "Ellen" viewership dropped by 1.1 million people this season, from 2.6 million viewers to 1.5 million viewers.
"When you're a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it's just not a challenge anymore," DeGeneres told The Hollywood Reporter, which first broke the news.
The news comes nearly a year after controversy swelled over toxic workplace allegations. DeGeneres apologized to the show's staff amid an internal company investigation of complaints of a difficult and unfair workplace. Three senior producers were ousted as a result of the investigation.
"On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ would be a place of happiness — no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect," DeGeneres wrote at the time. Something changed, she said, "and for that, I am sorry."
In a separate statement, the Warner Bros. studio said the investigation's "primary findings" revealed what it called some flaws in the show’s daily management.
DeGeneres' memo and the probe by the studio’s parent company followed a BuzzFeed News report in which one current and 10 former show employees complained about issues including being fired after taking medical or bereavement leave. One worker said she left because of comments about her race.
Soulja Boy Sued By Ex Who Claims She Miscarried After He Abused Her!
Soulja Boy is facing a new lawsuit from an ex-girlfriend who claims, amongst other things, that he abused her while she was pregnant with their child.
According to Pitchfork, the woman, who filed her suit under the pseudonym Jane Doe to protect her identity, is suing the 30-year-old rapper, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, for assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, domestic violence, negligence, sexual battery, and gender violence.
In the lawsuit, which was obtained by the outlet, Jane Doe claims she was subjected to domestic violence throughout their on-and-off romantic relationship from 2007 until mid-2019 and suffered a miscarriage following one of their many alleged violent disputes.
In 2015, Jane Doe claims while she was pregnant with the "Ks9" rapper's child, he punched her in the face and chest until she fell to the ground. After she fell to the ground, Jane Doe says that's when Soulja allegedly “continued to kick [her] all over her body, particularly in the stomach.” She says soon after the incident, she suffered a miscarriage.
The lawsuit also lists additional violent incidents as well as multiple instances where Soulja allegedly threatened Jane Doe’s life, “coerced [her] to engage in sexual acts through the threat of physical violence” and also “subjected [her] to physical assault if she refused his sexual demands," Pitchfork reports.
Jane Doe is being represented by Neama Rahmani, who is also representing a different woman who sued Soulja Boy in January for assault and sexual battery.
"Our client is fortunate she was able to escape Way’s reign of terror and domestic abuse," Rahmani said in a statement regarding the new lawsuit. "Still, she struggles to rebuild her life as she deals with the stress, fear and humiliation she continues to suffer from the years she remained Way’s emotional and mental captive. She worries about her daughter’s security and safety and about her ability to re-establish her career. How many women’s lives will Way ravage before he is held accountable? We plan for it to end here."
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault or domestic violence, we encourage you to reach out to The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Republicans Oust Liz Cheney From Party Leadership Position Over Trump!
Because she won’t tell Donald Trump’s lies about the 2020 election, Republicans ousted Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) from party leadership.
Republicans voted during an internal party meeting on Wednesday morning to remove Cheney from her position as House Republican Conference chair, the third-highest rank among Republicans in the House of Representatives. They removed her via voice vote soon after the meeting commenced, meaning no member went on the record.
The decision won’t silence Cheney, she told reporters after the meeting.
“We must go forward based on truth,” Cheney said. “We cannot both embrace the big lie and the Constitution.”
“I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office,” Cheney added.
Ahead of the meeting, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had made it clear that Cheney should get the boot, saying in a letter to members that “our leadership team cannot afford to be distracted from the important work that we were elected to do.”
The distraction? The plain truth. In recent weeks, Cheney has been increasingly vocal about the validity of the 2020 election and Donald Trump inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
“The 2020 presidential election was not stolen,” Cheney tweeted last week in response to the disgraced ex-president. “Anyone who claims it was is spreading THE BIG LIE, turning their back on the rule of law, and poisoning our democratic system.”
Cheney was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the January attack on Congress. “There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution,” she said before her vote.
The majority of Republicans, including McCarthy, not only voted against impeachment, they also voted to throw out the 2020 presidential election results, even after a violent mob trashed the Capitol. McCarthy initially blamed Trump for the attack but then rushed to Florida to get back into the disgraced ex-president’s good graces.
House Republicans ousted Rep. Liz Cheney from her position as conference chair in a vote Wednesday morning.
Republicans plan to replace Cheney with Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), who has parroted Trump’s election lies, including during a podcast interview last week.
Trump has made it clear that his grudge against Cheney is rooted in her election statements, although he often bashes her as a “warmonger” and bad politician as well. Cheney voted in line with Trump’s positions 93% of the time; Stefanik was previously critical of the former president, although she’s evolved into one of his top defenders.
Trump gloated about Cheney’s ouster soon after the vote.
“Liz Cheney is a bitter, horrible human being. I watched her yesterday and realized how bad she is for the Republican Party,” he said in a statement. “She has no personality or anything good having to do with politics or our Country.”
On Tuesday evening, Cheney delivered what was her final speech as conference chair on the House floor. Speaking after a series of pro-Trump Republicans lamented “cancel culture,” Cheney laid into Trump, saying he presents a grave threat to American democracy.
“A former president, who provoked a violent attack on this Capitol in an effort to steal the election, has resumed his aggressive effort to convince Americans that the election was stolen from him,” Cheney said. “He risks inciting further violence.”
In a futile attempt to make her fellow Republicans uncomfortable, Cheney said Trump’s lies disadvantage America in a coming cold war against China.
“Attacks against our democratic process and the rule of law empower our adversaries and feed communist propaganda that American democracy is a failure,” she said. “We must speak the truth. Our election was not stolen, and America has not failed.”
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), one of Cheney’s few GOP public defenders, told reporters after the meeting that he thought Cheney had “a lot” of supporters, but that leaders said they would hold a voice vote to show “unity.”
“There’s a lot of people that are proud of her for what she has done and a lot of people who feel threatened by her, and that’s their decision,” he said. “Going forward, I think she is going to be a great leader for this country and this party.”
Some Republicans told HuffPost they didn’t oust Cheney over her truth-telling — really!
“I felt she was in part responsible for the high spending in the first Trump budget,” Rep. Glenn Grothman (Wis.) said.
Several GOP members disagreed with Cheney on “what level of military adventurism is acceptable,” said Rep. David Schweikert (Ariz.). “Things sort of pile up over time.”
Others wouldn’t say whether the election was stolen.
“I’m going to stay focused on the future, not the past, at this point,” Rep. Vern Buchanan (Fla.) said.
Rep. Mike Kelly (Pa.) suggested it’s just a “version” of the truth that Cheney lost her position for statements about the ex-president losing the election and inciting a riot.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘THIS TRIP TO WALMART EITHER WENT REALLY BAD OR REALLY GOOD’
??????
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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