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Up To Date

Missouri's Tom Coleman Says The GOP Has Become A 'Cult' And Needs To 'Wake Up'

By Steve Kraske,
Chris Young, Mackenzie Martin
Published May 17, 2021 at 6:55 PM CDT
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Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters after House Republicans voted to oust her from her leadership post as chair of the House Republican Conference because of her repeated criticism of former President Donald Trump for his false claims of election fraud and his role in instigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
Manuel Balce Ceneta
/
Associated Press
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 12, 2021 after House Republicans voted to oust her from her leadership post as chair of the House Republican Conference because of her repeated criticism of former President Donald Trump.

The former Missouri congressman sees the ousting of Liz Cheney from House leadership as an example of how the Republican Party has turned into a "totalitarian political movement."

Tom Coleman says, "The Republican Party has left me" and now sees himself as more of an independent. He is one of more than 100 Republicans who signed a letter threatening to break from the GOP and form a third party: "They don't deal in facts. They live in an alternate world created by Donald Trump," Coleman declared.

Tags
Up To Date PodcastDonald TrumppoliticsGOPU.S. House of RepresentativesMissouri
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Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
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Chris Young
Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.
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Mackenzie Martin
As senior podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I interview everyday people and dig through old newspaper articles to unearth stories of the visionaries and renegades who created this region. I focus on bringing the past to life, so we can all better understand the city we live in today. Email me at mackenzie@kcur.org.
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