The onetime Chicago theatermaker premieres his digital show for Mother’s Day; plus major awards for playwrights and designers and a tribute to Russ Tutterow
Some people send flowers for Mother’s Day. But for onetime Chicago theatermaker Carlo Lorenzo García, his bouquet for his mom, María Guadalupe, takes the form of art.…Read More
The freedoms we give up now will be lost forever if we allow the authorities to continue encroaching on our rights to privacy in the name of promoting “public health.”
It is an absolute disgrace that city politicians are promoting these new “vax passes,” trying to coax Chicagoans into agreeing to disclose their medical status or medical history in exchange for the privilege of exercising what is actually their inalienable right to travel where they want to, socialize with whomever they choose, and attend whatever events or commercial/entertainment venues that are normally open to the public.
The freedoms that we willingly give up now will be lost forever, if we allow the authorities to continue encroaching on our rights to privacy, freedom of movement, freedom of association, and freedom of expression in the name of promoting “public health.”
If the government is really concerned about health issues, why aren’t they promoting Medicare for All, and investing in hospitals, neighborhood clinics, and housing for the homeless (including those who are about to be evicted)?
Derek Davis, Rogers Park
SEND LETTERS TO: [email protected]. Please include your neighborhood or hometown and a phone number for verification purposes. Letters should be approximately 350 words or less.
As restaurants re-open, I’ve noticed that a number of places have instituted a policy of 1 1⁄2 hours for diners due to COVID-19. When I’ve gone out and a staff member of a restaurant apologizes for telling me that we have to leave in 1 1⁄2 hours, I actually want to thank them.
First, that is more than enough time for people to catch up and enjoy each other’s company. Second, when people stick around, it inhibits other customers from getting a table and, more importantly, limits a server’s ability to generate more tip dollars.
Unless there is a party or maybe a large group of people (say 8 or more at a table), there is absolutely no reason for a party of six to take up a table for more than 1 1⁄2 hours. I would love to see all restaurants, except for perhaps large parties and certain dining experiences, move to that policy. It’s good for customers, restaurants and servers, and should be something applauded rather than having restaurants apologize for it because of COVID.
Jonathan M. Wolfe, Irving Park
Laura Washington stated in her column of May 3 that “Without DuSable, there would be no Chicago.” Chicago became the great city it is today based on its location as a link between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, not because of who may have been its earliest non-native settler.
Bruce Pietka, Gold Coast
There is much wailing from Republicans these days about big government and deficit spending (which went uncommented on by them during the Trump presidency). But, as much as I would like to agree with them, when have they recently taken time away from vilifying Democrats to actually solve a problem?
For Republicans, there are three kinds of problems: Problems that people should solve for themselves, problems that the market should solve, and problems that call for a pretense that they do not exist and should be ignored. Try to find a problem in this country that, in their view, does not fall into one of these categories.
Republicans have accomplished something that I long thought was impossible: They have made me perceive Democrats as more sensible. If people are deciding, as they seem to be, that government should do more, it is the Republicans’ own fault.
Curt Fredrikson, Mokena
Illinois is poised to advance to the “bridge phase” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, which would allow for higher capacities at some large venues and events. Barring another spike in cases, the state could fully reopen next month.
Improving coronavirus infections numbers mean Illinois will see more business restrictions lifted next week — and barring another case surge, the state will fully reopen June 11, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday.
The governor confirmed the state will advance to the “bridge phase” of his reopening plan May 14, as COVID-19 cases have fallen to their lowest levels in about six weeks.
And as long as residents follow basic COVID-19 precautions, keep signing up for vaccinations and stave off another spike in infections, it’ll be back to business as usual statewide four weeks after that, Pritzker said during a Loop news conference.
The governor said “the light that we can see at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter,” but tempered the optimism of a return to normal life 15 months after COVID-19 first turned life upside down.
“This good news comes with a caveat. We have all seen throughout this pandemic that this virus and its variants have proven to be unpredictable,” Pritzker said. “Metrics that look strong today are far from a guarantee of how things will look a week, two weeks, a month from now. We saw that last August and again, last March.
“We have to make sure that we don’t see another surge in the virus,” he said. “And the best way to do that is for everyone to get vaccinated.”
With the latest 99,599 COVID-19 shots that went into Illinois arms Wednesday, more than a third of the state population is now fully vaccinated. More than 60% have gotten at least one dose, and that rate is up to 85% for seniors.
Officials also reported 1,778 more residents were confirmed to carry the virus among the latest 96,296 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, lowering the average statewide positivity rate to 3%. That figure hasn’t been lower since March 27.
Those numbers, combined with declining COVID-19 hospital admissions, put the state in position to advance to the “bridge phase,” which allows for higher capacities at some large venues and events. Illinois had been set to get to the bridge phase in mid-March until a rise in cases threw the state off track.
Graphic by Jesse Howe and Caroline Hurley | Sun-Times
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
The intermediate stage devised by Pritzker’s office before a full reopening allows museums, amusement parks and zoos to increase capacity from 25% to 60%. Additionally, festivals and general admission outdoor events will be able to seat 30 people per 1,000 square feet. Meetings, conferences and conventions will see their capacity limit increase to either 1,000 people or 60% — whichever is less — with the same applying to theaters and performing arts venues.
Earlier in the week, the governor declined to say when he might allow Illinois to fully reopen, but now the rest of the state is on pace to see restrictions lifted several weeks ahead of the July 4 target that Mayor Lori Lightfoot set for Chicago.
Still, Pritzker stressed it might not happen if people don’t keep signing up for shots. The state is now averaging just 70,063 shots given per day over the past week, a rate that has fallen almost in half since April 12.
“Folks, this pandemic is not over. But if we’re going to truly end it, we have to make sure that we don’t see another surge in the virus, and the best way to do that is for everyone to get vaccinated,” he said.
And despite the progress, the virus is still causing grief across the state. Officials reported 40 more COVID-19 deaths, including a man in his 30s from McLean County in central Illinois. The state’s death toll is up to 22,136 among more than 1.3 million residents who have tested positive over the past 14 months.
Vaccines are free and readily available on a walk-up basis at government-run mass vaccination sites as well as many Walgreens, Walmart and CVS pharmacies.
For help finding an appointment in Chicago, visit zocdoc.com or call (312) 746-4835.
For suburban Cook County sites, visit vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or call (833) 308-1988.
To find providers elsewhere, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov or call (833) 621-1284.
The victims’ injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson said.
RIGBY, Idaho — A shooting at an eastern Idaho middle school Thursday injured two students and a custodian, and a male student has been taken into custody, authorities said.
The victims’ injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson said.
“Today we had the worst nightmare a school district could encounter. We had a school shooting here at Rigby Middle School,” Jefferson School District Superintendent Chad Martin said. “What we know so far is the shooter has been apprehended. There is no further threat to the students.”
Police were called to the school around 9:15 a.m. Multiple law enforcement agencies were on scene.
Students were evacuated to a nearby high school, and parents lined up to be reunited with their children.
Rigby is a small city about 95 miles southwest of Yellowstone National Park. Rigby Middle School has about 1,500 students in sixth through eighth grades, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
“I am praying for the lives and safety of those involved in today’s tragic events,” Gov. Brad Little said in a prepared statement. “Thank you to our law enforcement agencies and school leaders for their efforts in responding to the incident.”
The attack appears to be Idaho’s second school shooting. In 1999, a student at a high school in Notus fired a shotgun several times. No one was struck by the bullets, but one student was injured by ricocheting debris from the first shell.
Pope Francis has made his view clear that the Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”
President Joe Biden is the highest-profile and most powerful lay Catholic in American life today – but he also holds policy views that diverge from many Catholic bishops. And that is causing some problems.
The dilemma looks like this. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that abortion is the taking of a human life, no different from murder, and so grave a sin that it incurs an automatic excommunication. Yet prominent Roman Catholics in public life — including Democrats such as Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — support abortion rights. It has led to concern from some Catholic bishops that a contradictory picture of Catholic faith is being presented to the public.
In response, U.S. bishops reportedly are preparing a pastoral statement expected to be released in June that would instruct Catholics about when they should and should not receive Communion. The effect of that document would be to exclude Catholics like Biden and Pelosi from full participation in the church.
Communion, also known as the Eucharist, is the central act of Roman Catholic worship in which Catholics receive bread and wine that they believe becomes the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Church law particularly excludes from taking Communion those who are guilty of what is known as “manifest grave sin.” This means no one who has committed a serious sin in a way that is publicly visible should receive Communion.
The bishops argue that being pro-choice, Democrats like Joe Biden have made themselves unsuitable to take Communion.
As a scholar who studies Catholicism in political life, I argue that the proposed pastoral statement reflects existing divisions inside the Catholic Church that have been heightened by the election of Biden as president. Moreover, it will serve only to deepen the divide.
Joe Biden is a devoted Catholic, attending Mass weekly and carrying a rosary everywhere he goes. He has talked many times about how important his faith is to him.
But his policy position on abortion jars with more conservative elements in the Catholic Church. In October 2019, a priest declined to give Communion to the then-presidential candidate when he presented himself at St. Anthony Church in Florence, South Carolina. The priest, who had never met Biden before, told reporters, “Any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of church teaching.”
The picture is not as clear as that priest suggests, and the Catholic Church’s history of dealing with Catholic public officials is more inconsistent. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, for example, presided over a brutal regime of atrocities and torture known throughout the world, yet he received a Catholic burial in 1975 over which the archbishop of Toledo presided.
More pertinent to the Biden case, Pope John Paul II gave Communion in 2001 to Rome’s mayor, Franceso Rutelli, who had campaigned to liberalize abortion laws. Likewise, Pope Benedict XVI gave Communion to Rudolph Giuliani, Nancy Pelosi and John Kerry — all of whom support abortion rights.
The reason the issue has come up now in the U.S. appears to be more about concerns among bishops over their waning influence.
Kansas City Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chair of the U.S. bishops’ committee on pro-life activities and one of the main figures supporting a pastoral statement about Communion, told The Associated Press, “Whether intentional or not, [Biden is] trying to usurp our authority.”
“He doesn’t have the authority to teach what it means to be Catholic,” Naumann continued; “that’s our responsibility as bishops.”
Naumann may have reasons to be concerned. A 2019 poll found that 63% of American Catholics have lost trust in Catholic bishops because of their handling of the still-ongoing crisis of sexual abuse.
To many Catholics, Biden’s presentation of Catholic faith as aligning with racial justice, economic justice, climate justice and health care justice offers a pointed contrast with bishops mired in scandal and unhappy about trends such as same-sex marriage in American culture.
Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila wrote in mid-April about the need to establish “Eucharistic coherence” through a pastoral statement that would state when someone like Biden should not present himself for Communion. It seems as though, to many bishops like Aquila, that is the solution to their dilemma over Biden.
But not all bishops agree. Chicago’s Cardinal Blase Cupich wrote a private letter to Aquila expressing his reservations. The letter was leaked after it was received, making divisions among the bishops more visible.
The proposed document about “Eucharistic coherence” is expected to come before the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in June — a move that likely will highlight even more the split within the church. But even if the pastoral statement is approved, the conference has no authority to enforce it on any particular bishop. The result would be an incoherent patchwork allowing each individual bishop to decide. Washington’s Cardinal Wilton Gregory already has indicated he will not prevent Biden from receiving Communion.
Only the Vatican has the right to enforce the pastoral statement on every bishop — but that almost certainly will not happen. Pope Francis previously has made his view clear that the Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”
As such, the pastoral statement could serve only to highlight differences among many American bishops and the pope.
It also could backfire as an attempt to wrestle back authority for U.S. bishops. A preelection debate over the sincerity of Biden’s Catholicism proved divisive among the faithful. Biden, through baptism and participation in the other sacraments, is a Catholic. There is no question about that.
Because they reflect intense divisions in the church, these efforts to disqualify the president from the sacraments and the church are, I believe, a threat to church authority today. Nothing that furthers or deepens those divisions will help the bishops or the Catholics that they lead.
Steven P. Millies is an associate professor of Public Theology and director of The Bernardin Center at the Catholic Theological Union.
This article originally was published on The Conversation.
Send letters to [email protected].
Illinois is poised to advance to the “bridge phase” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, which would allow for higher capacities at some large venues and events.
Public health officials on Thursday reported another promising round of coronavirus infection numbers, meaning Illinois could soon see a further loosening of pandemic restrictions.
Another 1,778 residents were confirmed to carry the virus among the latest 96,296 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, lowering the average statewide positivity rate to 3%.
That figure hasn’t been lower since March 27, suggesting the virus is spreading at its slowest pace in nearly six weeks.
And with the latest 99,599 COVID-19 shots that went into Illinois arms Wednesday, more than a third of the state population is now fully vaccinated. More than 60% have gotten at least one dose.
Those numbers have Illinois poised to advance to the “bridge phase” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, which would allow for higher capacities at some large venues and events. On Monday, the governor suggested that could happen within days.
“I think the common view is that Illinois has weathered the storm well, that we’ve seen what’s happened in Michigan, and that hasn’t happened in Illinois — thank God,” Pritzker said then. “We look at all of those variants — I talked to the experts about this — I think everybody feels like we’re in a decent position — again, following the metrics — we believe that we’ll be able to move to the bridge phase.”
Illinois had been set to get to the bridge phase in mid-March until a rise in cases threw the state off track.
The intermediate stage devised by Pritzker’s office before a full reopening allows museums, amusement parks and zoos to increase capacity from 25% to 60%. Additionally, festivals and general admission outdoor events will be able to seat 30 people per 1,000 square feet. Meetings, conferences and conventions will see their capacity limit increase to either 1,000 people or 60% — whichever is less — with the same applying to theaters and performing arts venues.
To get there, at least 70% of Illinois seniors must have received at least one vaccine dose, with the state maintaining at least 20% availability for intensive care hospital beds while keeping hospital admissions, case rates and death rates steady or declining for 28 days.
About 85% of Illinois seniors have now gotten a shot, and most of those COVID-19 metrics have been falling for 24 straight days.
Graphic by Jesse Howe and Caroline Hurley | Sun-Times
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
Pritzker and Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike were scheduled to deliver a COVID-19 update Thursday afternoon.
The governor hasn’t set a date for when the state could fully reopen, but has said he’s “optimistic” Illinois could shoot for the July 4 reopening that Mayor Lori Lightfoot is targeting for Chicago.
Despite the progress, the virus is still causing grief across the state. Officials reported 40 more COVID-19 deaths, including a man in his 30s from McLean County in central Illinois. The state’s death toll is up to 22,136 among more than 1.3 million residents who have tested positive over the past 14 months.
And vaccine demand is falling sharply statewide. The state is now averaging just 70,063 shots given per day over the past week, a rate that has fallen almost in half since April 12.
Vaccines are free and readily available on a walk-up basis at government-run mass vaccination sites as well as many Walgreens, Walmart and CVS pharmacies.
For help finding an appointment in Chicago, visit zocdoc.com or call (312) 746-4835.
For suburban Cook County sites, visit vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or call (833) 308-1988.
To find providers elsewhere, visit coronavirus.illinois.gov or call (833) 621-1284.
Make the most of the spring weather this month: See an interactive exhibit exploring Dr. Jane Goodall’s life or exercise outdoors with PAWS Chicago.Read More
Ten Great Things to Do in MayLynette Smithon May 6, 2021 at 5:11 pm Read More »
A draft for the ages has the Bears looking at a sky’s the limit outlook after drafting Justin Fields and revamping the offensive line. Chicago’s 5th round pick, OT Larry Borom makes one of his first appearances as a Bear and Bears Radio sideline reporter Mark Grote joins the show to talk about the reversal of fortunes in Chicago.
The post Keepin It 100: A Chicago Bears Podcast; A New Era Begins first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More
Keepin It 100: A Chicago Bears Podcast; A New Era BeginsNick Bon May 6, 2021 at 4:38 pm Read More »
A new survey by The Actors Fund found that 76% of respondents lost income and 40% reported reduced food security.
NEW YORK — Like so many, the pandemic upended life for actor and dancer Rena Riffel. The Los Angeles-based performer needed help with rent, utilities and counseling when jobs suddenly dried up.
“Being an artist, we are already very fragile with our finances,” she said. ”It’s like an ebb and flow. So when the pandemic happened and everything shut down, for myself and for everyone else, there’s really no hope. There’s no opportunity.”
Riffel’s experience is echoed in a new survey by The Actors Fund that illustrates the depths of need created by the COVID-19 pandemic in the arts community. Released Thursday, it reveals financial hardship, food insecurity and lost housing.
The survey of 7,163 people helped by the organization — including Riffel — found that 76% of respondents lost income and 40% reported reduced food security.
Some 28% fell behind in rent or mortgage and 20% were forced to change housing. Ten percent of respondents had to sell a large asset, such as a house or a car.
“We see the pandemic as having a long tail on its impact on performing artists and entertainment professionals, and especially people involved in live entertainment,” Joe Benincasa, CEO of The Actors Fund, said to The Associated Press.
A massive 79% of respondents reported that COVID-19 had a negative impact on their mental health, with increased feelings of anxiety or depression.
“For people working in the gig economy, not always knowing when they’re going to work again — that stress — the impact is tremendous,” said Benincasa.
The Fund provides a national safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals in the fields of film theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance.
Last year, it served more than 40,000 individuals, a 71% increase from 2019. It distributed more than $19 million in direct cash to about 15,000 individuals.
The Fund helped Riffel get a grant to cover living expenses, gave her financial advice, pointed her to more schooling and how to pay for it, and offered workshops to broaden her skill set and supplied wellness counselling.
“It just really helped me stay focused and continue to work on myself as an artist and being creative,” she said. “And just really remain hopeful. I think that was the key to it all: Just know that things are going to get better.”
The survey, which has a margin of error of plus/minus 1.2%, was conducted by Morey Consulting. The median household income among all respondents was $34,186.
Benincasa credited the work done by the Fund in the years before the pandemic for keeping the loss of health insurance coverages relatively lower than anticipated. Only 10% of respondents reported that they lost health insurance and have not had it replaced.
He said the marketplace provided by the Affordable Care Act was one reason the rate was low, as well as the Fund’s trained counselors who were able to find clients affordable health care.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that Broadway theaters can reopen Sept. 14. “Phantom of the Opera,” Broadway’s longest-running show, announced Wednesday that it would resume performances Oct. 22, with tickets going on sale Friday. More shows are expected to circle return dates in the coming weeks. Actors’ Equity Association, the national labor union representing more than 51,000 actors and stage managers in live theater, said the news meant the theater community is “one step closer to the safe reopening” of Broadway.
But Benincasa warned that for those in the arts community, more bad numbers are likely to be generated in the coming months. The Fund is preparing for a surge in requests for direct financial assistance around housing.
“People will be slow to get back on their feet. They’ve accumulated debt. They’ve maxed out credit cards. They have rent and mortgages to catch up on,” he said.
“My sense is that the fall, when the moratorium is lifted on rent and mortgage, I think that could have a serious impact on people’s lives and that we’ll see an uptick.”
Benincasa credited his group’s social workers and front-line staff for helping so many, especially at their residences, which includes a nursing home in Englewood, New Jersey. He also thanked the people who have staged concerts and events to raise money for the Fund.
“We’re proud of the community, how they stepped up to help us help people,” he said. As for the Fund’s work, he said: “We’re going to stay with it.”
In Los Angeles, Riffel said things are beginning to look up for her. “I’ve started auditioning again,” she said. “Being an artist is really what feeds my soul.”
She credits The Actors Fund for helping her though the dark time. “If I wouldn’t have found my way to them, I don’t know what my life would be because I feel like my life has improved in every way.”
___
Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits
Entertainment workers hit hard by pandemicAssociated Presson May 6, 2021 at 4:17 pm Read More »
The remarks by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a one-time moderate who’s evolved into an ardent Donald Trump champion, came as Cheney seems likely to be tossed from her leadership post next week.
WASHINGTON — Rep. Elise Stefanik stated her case Thursday for replacing Rep. Liz Cheney as the No. 3 House Republican leader, implicitly lambasting Cheney’s battles with former President Donald Trump by saying, “We are one team and that means working with the president.”
The remarks by Stefanik, R-N.Y., a one-time moderate who’s evolved into an ardent Trump champion, came as Cheney seems likely to be tossed from her leadership post next week. Cheney, R-Wyo., has repeatedly rejected Trump’s false insistence that he lost the 2020 election because of widespread fraud, and has blamed him for inflaming followers who assaulted the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Speaking on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, Stefanik said she is committed to “sending a clear message that we are one team and that means working with the president and working with all of our excellent Republican members of Congress.” Stefanik repeatedly used “president” in referring to Trump.
Facing opposition from Trump and the House’s two top Republicans — Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Whip Steve Scalise — Cheney has remained defiant.
In an opinion essay in The Washington Post, Cheney implored her GOP colleagues on Wednesday to pry themselves from a Trump “cult of personality” and declared that the party and even American democracy were at stake. “History is watching,” she said.
Trump issued a statement giving his “COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement” to Stefanik, 36, who’s played an increasingly visible role within the GOP.
Stefanik responded quickly, highlighting his backing to colleagues who will decide her political future.
“Thank you President Trump for your 100% support for House GOP Conference Chair. We are unified and focused on FIRING PELOSI & WINNING in 2022!” she tweeted.
The careers of Cheney and Stefanik are seemingly racing in opposite directions, as if to contrast the fates awaiting Trump critics and backers in today’s GOP.
The turmoil also raised questions about whether the price for political survival in the party entails standing by a former president who keeps up his false narrative about a fraudulent 2020 election and whose supporters stormed the Capitol just four months ago in an attempt to disrupt the formal certification of Joe Biden’s victory.
In her essay, Cheney denounced the “dangerous and anti-democratic Trump cult of personality,” and warned her fellow Republicans against embracing or ignoring his statements “for fundraising and political purposes.”
She said McCarthy has “changed his story” after initially saying Trump “bears responsibility” for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. McCarthy, who is tacitly backing the drive to oust her, has said Trump issued a video to try halting the violence.
Dozens of state and local officials and judges from both parties have found no evidence to support Trump’s assertions that he was cheated out of an election victory.
Cheney, in the Post, agreed with Democrats that a bipartisan investigation should focus solely on the riot and not on disturbances at some of last summer’s racial justice protests. In an apparent reference to her own situation, she said she would defend “basic principles” of democracy, “no matter what the short-term political consequences might be.”
Biden weighed in at the White House on Wednesday.
“I think Republicans are further away from trying to figure out who they are and what they stand for than I thought they would be at this point,” he told reporters.
Cheney, a daughter of Dick Cheney, who was George W. Bush’s vice president and before that a Wyoming congressman, seemed to have almost unlimited potential until this year. Her career began listing after she was among just 10 House Republicans to back Trump’s impeachment for inciting supporters to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6, when five died.
Stefanik, who represents a mammoth upstate New York district, began her House career in 2015 as a moderate Republican.
She opposed Trump’s ban on immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries, and joined Democrats in voting against Trump’s effort to unilaterally redirect money to building a wall along the Southwest border. She also led an effort to recruit female candidates for her party.
Stefanik’s rural district, which Barack Obama carried in his successful 2008 and 2012 presidential runs, was subsequently won twice by Trump. She morphed into a stalwart Trump defender and was given a high-profile role during the 2019 House Intelligence Committee impeachment hearings.
That was widely seen as a strategic move by the GOP to soften its image by giving a woman a prominent role. Stefanik’s status and visibility within the GOP have soared since then.
Cheney is the highest-ranking GOP woman in Congress. There are just 31 Republican women in the House, about one-third of Democrats’ total but up from the 13 who served in the last Congress.
There were no other visible contenders for Cheney’s post, with a secret ballot by House Republicans on her fate possible next week. A vote on a replacement, seemingly Stefanik, could come that day as well.
Cheney was making little noticeable effort to cement support by calling colleagues or enlisting others to lobby on her behalf, said two House GOP aides who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the situation. A third person familiar with Cheney’s effort also said she was not lining up votes.
Cheney’s opposition to Trump put her out of step with most House Republicans, 138 of whom voted against certifying the Electoral College vote for Biden’s victory.
Republicans say a McCarthy speech backing Cheney at a closed-door House GOP meeting in February was largely credited with her surviving an earlier push by conservatives oust her, in a 145-61 secret ballot.
A top House GOP aide has said McCarthy won’t do that this time.
___
Associated Press writers Steve Peoples in New York, Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky, and Lisa Mascaro, Jill Colvin, Alexandra Jaffe and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.
