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Former Republican President George W. Bush donated to two prominent critics of former President Trump who both voted to impeach him toward the end of his term.
Campaign finance reports, first reported by Politico, show that Bush donated thousands of dollars to Republicans Rep. Liz Cheney and Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2021.
Former President George W. Bush, center, stands amongst members of the U.S. armed forces during the playing of the national anthem before the first half of an NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021.
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
GEORGE W. BUSH SAYS HE REGRETS SUGGESTING ENTIRE GOP IS ‘ISOLATIONIST,’ ‘NATIVIST’
Bush donated the maximum individual contribution of $5,800 to Cheney, whose father Dick served as his vice-president for eight years, last October and gave the maximum available primary donation to Murkowski.
Both Cheney and Murkowski voted to remove Trump from office in response to the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill last year. Cheney is also one of the more vocal members of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 riot.
A spokesman for Bush told PEOPLE that he also donated to Glenn Youngkin’s gubernatorial campaign as well as the campaign of his nephew George P. Bush, who is running for attorney general in Texas. The younger Bush finished third in fundraising in the GOP attorney general field in the last half of 2021. Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman raised the most money during the reporting period, followed by incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) asks questions during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing to discuss reopening schools during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 30, 2021. Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS
(Reuters)
Trump has backed primary challengers against both Cheney and Murkowski.
Trump endorsed Harriet Hageman, the leading Republican candidate challenging Cheney, reported this week that she’s hauled in over $1 million in fundraising since declaring her candidacy for Congress less than five months ago.
Cheney reported earlier this week that she raised $7 million last year as part of her reelection push.
In Alaska, Trump has endorsed the state’s former commissioner of administration Kelly Tshibaka in her quest to replace Murkowski in the United States Senate.
FILE – In this July 27, 2021 file photo, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., listens to testimony from Washington Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges during the House select committee hearing on the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Jim Bourg/Pool via AP, File)
(AP )
“Lisa Murkowski is bad for Alaska. Her vote to confirm Biden’s Interior Secretary was a vote to kill long sought for, and approved, ANWR, and Alaska jobs,” Trump said in a statement. “Murkowski has got to go! Kelly Tshibaka is the candidate who can beat Murkowski—and she will. Kelly is a fighter who stands for Alaska values and America First. She is MAGA all the way, pro-energy, strong on the Border, tough on Crime and totally supports our Military and our great Vets.”
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“Get rid of them all,” Trump said in a speech last year regarding Republicans who voted to impeach him during his presidency.
