Roy Exum
Chattanooga’s Zach Wamp, who represented Tennessee's 3rd Congressional district quite well from 1995 to 2011, is still active in Washington politics, and recently signed a letter praising the efforts of a Congressional committee that is investigating “the Capitol insurrection riots” that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021, this shortly before Donald Trump would surrender the Presidency.
Wamp is a key figure behind a spectacular group of political power brokers known as Issue One and has chaired its Reform Caucus.
Prior to joining the Caucus, the Chattanooga native and ardent conservative served in Congress, representing the 3rd Congressional District of Tennessee. Wamp served in the House for more than 15 years and was a senior member on the House Appropriations Committee as well as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.
In his current position with Issue One, Wamp helps direct the Caucus’s strategy, serves as a liaison to Capitol Hill and helps make the case for why fixing the broken democratic process is the critical issue of our time. On Christmas Day, Zach was featured on the Tennessee Star, a thriving online website, and here is what standout writer Chris Butler said about him:
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ZACH WAMP PRAISES LIZ CHENEY, TRASHES DONALD TRUMP
By Chris Butler, The Tennessee Star, Dec. 25, 2021
Former Tennessee Congressman Zach Wamp, a Republican, is one of several former lawmakers who signed a letter this week applauding Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY At-large District) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL-16) for their work investigating the events of January 6.
Representative Cheney, a Republican who serves Wyoming’s at-large Congressional district, serves as vice-chair of the January 6 Select Committee. Kinzinger also serves on the committee.
Wamp did not return The Tennessee Star’s request for comment on Thursday.
In the letter, Wamp and other members of the Washington, D.C.-based (group that is called) Issue One urged for a thorough and objective investigation. Issue One members, according to their website, want to “unite Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the movement to strengthen American democracy.”
In this week’s letter, Wamp and other former representatives said more members of the GOP must assist with the committee’s work.
“As former members [of Congress], we know firsthand how essential bipartisan cooperation is for the preservation of our republic and our shared values, and we strongly commend the contributions of Republican members Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger,” Issue One members wrote.
“We sincerely hope other Republicans will join efforts to pursue the truth and facts surrounding the events of January 6.”
Wamp and the letter’s other co-signers described the people who came to the U.S. Capitol on January 6 of this year as “a violent mob” who did “lasting damage to our democratic norms and institutions.”
Other co-signers included, among others, former representatives and senators Carol Moseley Braun, Russ Feingold, Dick Gephardt, Gary Hart, Susan Molinari, Leon Panetta, and Tim Roemer.
Wamp, in September, said Congress should restrict the ability of a U.S. senator or U.S. representative to challenge the counting of electoral votes as submitted by individual states.
In February, Wamp said Time Magazine mischaracterized him and his role with a coalition of well-known political figures and what they did in the months leading up to the November 2020 presidential election.
The Time article seemed to brag that various groups collaborated “behind the scenes” to defeat former U.S. President Donald Trump. The article attracted nationwide attention. Author Molly Ball described “a well-funded cabal of powerful people” who worked to “influence perceptions, change rules and laws, steer media coverage and control the flow of information.”
(The) Time (article) quoted Wamp, a Republican, more than once.
The magazine said Wamp and a bipartisan coalition of well-known political figures belonged to this cabal. Ball, in her piece, said Wamp and other officials actively worked against Trump’s best interests. Wamp and other officials identify this coalition as the National Council on Election Integrity.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star.
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royexum@aol.com