Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), the Republican who proposed the resolution, is also a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Meadows’ motion has been referred to the House Rules Committee, a Boehner-controlled political backwater where problematic items have been known to die. Last week, members of Congress introduced the Equality Act in both the House and the Senate, a bill designed to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to broaden protections by explicitly covering sexual orientation and gender identity, keeping in tact existing religious exemptions. He got some pushback for it, but Loudermilk maintained again today that “I didn’t have a choice” in the January vote, with no viable opponent for Boehner. “And frankly, it isn’t even deserving of a vote”.
Advertisement
Meadows told radio talk show host Mark Levin on Tuesday night he’s ready to accept the consequences for his rebellion.
The effort might give voters a more negative view of Republicans, Bitzer said, although Meadows’ district is so conservative it will not affect his re-election chances. It goes first to the Rules Committee where Boehner allies will nearly certainly squelch it.
The resolution said Boehner, the Republican from Ohio, “has endeavored to consolidate power and centralize decision-making, bypassing the majority of the 435 Members of Congress and the people they represent”.
Meadows, meanwhile, was a quiet presence Wednesday, sitting by himself off the House floor, speaking on his cellphone and showing no sign of regret.
The Republican Party’s conservative base remains deeply disappointed with its leadership on Capitol Hill, which manifested itself with Mr. Meadows’ attempted coup and Texas Sen.
The motion even says that he has used his power to punish other Members who vote with their conscience instead of following the Speaker’s will.
“We were all really angry, frustrated and saying, ‘Why now?’ We need to focus on the Iran deal”, the member said.
“Republicans aren’t fighting amongst themselves”.
Alluding to Meadows, Graham said: “I would say to the gentleman from North Carolina, the biggest beneficiary of your actions has been Hillary Clinton and the ayatollah”.
“What I’m hopeful for is this provides perhaps the impetus to have a discussion, a family discussion, where we can start talking about how we can make sure that every voice, every vote matters, and really about representing the American people”, he said. More important, a significant group sympathizes with Boehner privately but is absolutely petrified that having his back when things get tough will conjure a challenge inside the party by conservative ultras whose supporters dominate its primary electorate in so many places. “It’s time to remove Boehner from the speakership before it’s too late to pass bold reforms”.
Attempts by the Daily Local News to receive comments from the county’s two other congressmen, U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-7th, of Media and U.S. Rep. Joseph Pitts, R-16th, of East Marlborough, were unsuccessful early Wednesday.
It’s unclear how much support Meadows has to force a leadership shakeup. Republicans back home are pretty clear.
Advertisement
This means that Republicans have to treat doing business with President Obama and the Democrats as something bordering on philosophical treason.
