Night Of The Long Knives: 'Fake' Conservative John Boehner Purges The GOP | ZeroHedge
On Monday, the Republican Steering Committee, which is chaired by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), voted to remove Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) from the House Budget Commtitee. Reps. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) lost their positions on the Financial Services Committee.
The four members are known for occasionally bucking leadership and voting against Boehner’s wishes. Amash, Huelskamp and Schweikert are popular with the conservative movement, while Jones has made a name for himself by speaking out against U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
Reuters notes that removing Amash and Huelskamp from the Budget Committee “could make it easier for the panel to advance a deal with Democrats to cut fiscal deficits” — which is exactly what many conservative groups are afraid of.
Huelskamp unloaded on GOP leadership Tuesday at a Heritage Foundation event in Washington, saying, “We were not notified about what might occur but it confirms in my mind the deepest suspicions that most Americans have about Washington D.C: it’s petty, it’s vindictive, and if you have conservative principles you will be punished.”
Conservatives bite back over House GOP purge
Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) took a public shot at House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) Tuesday night, in the wake of a shake-up that knocked a small group of conservatives off prominent committees.
At a Heritage Foundation lunch Tuesday, Huelskamp suggested the purge was punishment for being too conservative: “It’s petty, its vindictive, and if you have any conservative principles you will be punished for articulating those.”
Schweikert told Roll Call that if the move was an intimidation attempt, it won’t work. “You still just work your heart out. You don’t all the sudden become a squish,” he said. “I’m bemused.”
Conservative groups have defended the lawmakers and scolded Boehner.
“This is establishment thinking, circling the wagons around yes-men and punishing anyone that dares to take a stand for good public policy,” FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe said in a statement. The group urged activists to call Boehner and demand he restore the lawmakers to their committee spots.
House committee purge may continue as Boehner tightens grip | Reuters
House committee purge may continue as Boehner tightens grip
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner's purge of some dissident Republican congressmen from key committees may continue as he seeks to tighten control over his unruly caucus ahead of difficult votes on "fiscal cliff" issues.
House Republican lawmakers said on Wednesday that in addition to the four conservatives who were stripped of their committee assignments earlier this week, other unnamed lawmakers were warned that their votes need to be more in line with party leadership and committee chairmen.
In effect, these congressmen are not "team players" working constructively with committee colleagues and leadership, Representative Pat Tiberi, a close Republican ally of Boehner from his home state of Ohio, told Reuters. Gone are the days when a lawmaker could expect "to stay on a committee forever," Tiberi said.
On Monday, the Republican Steering Committee, which is chaired by House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), voted to remove Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) from the House Budget Commtitee. Reps. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) lost their positions on the Financial Services Committee.
The four members are known for occasionally bucking leadership and voting against Boehner’s wishes. Amash, Huelskamp and Schweikert are popular with the conservative movement, while Jones has made a name for himself by speaking out against U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
Reuters notes that removing Amash and Huelskamp from the Budget Committee “could make it easier for the panel to advance a deal with Democrats to cut fiscal deficits” — which is exactly what many conservative groups are afraid of.
Huelskamp unloaded on GOP leadership Tuesday at a Heritage Foundation event in Washington, saying, “We were not notified about what might occur but it confirms in my mind the deepest suspicions that most Americans have about Washington D.C: it’s petty, it’s vindictive, and if you have conservative principles you will be punished.”
Conservatives bite back over House GOP purge
Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) took a public shot at House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) Tuesday night, in the wake of a shake-up that knocked a small group of conservatives off prominent committees.
Still waiting for call from GOP leadership. Are they too embarrassed to explain they booted me for working to reduce debt?
— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) December 5, 2012
Republican leaders told National Journal that the Republican Steering Committee made the moves after looking at multiple factors, including voting against leadership or committee chairs too often.— Justin Amash (@repjustinamash) December 5, 2012
At a Heritage Foundation lunch Tuesday, Huelskamp suggested the purge was punishment for being too conservative: “It’s petty, its vindictive, and if you have any conservative principles you will be punished for articulating those.”
Schweikert told Roll Call that if the move was an intimidation attempt, it won’t work. “You still just work your heart out. You don’t all the sudden become a squish,” he said. “I’m bemused.”
Conservative groups have defended the lawmakers and scolded Boehner.
“This is establishment thinking, circling the wagons around yes-men and punishing anyone that dares to take a stand for good public policy,” FreedomWorks president Matt Kibbe said in a statement. The group urged activists to call Boehner and demand he restore the lawmakers to their committee spots.
House committee purge may continue as Boehner tightens grip | Reuters
House committee purge may continue as Boehner tightens grip
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner's purge of some dissident Republican congressmen from key committees may continue as he seeks to tighten control over his unruly caucus ahead of difficult votes on "fiscal cliff" issues.
House Republican lawmakers said on Wednesday that in addition to the four conservatives who were stripped of their committee assignments earlier this week, other unnamed lawmakers were warned that their votes need to be more in line with party leadership and committee chairmen.
In effect, these congressmen are not "team players" working constructively with committee colleagues and leadership, Representative Pat Tiberi, a close Republican ally of Boehner from his home state of Ohio, told Reuters. Gone are the days when a lawmaker could expect "to stay on a committee forever," Tiberi said.
This is so true!
