Tag Archives: John Boehner

Featured, Foreign Policy, Government Accountability, Politics

Report: NSA Spied on Israel’s Private Talks with U.S. Lawmakers about Iran Nuclear Deal

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The United States National Security Agency reportedly spied on Israeli lawmakers and ended up obtaining information from private conversations with U.S. lawmakers during negotiations about the Iran Nuclear Deal.

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, President Obama monitored the activities of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because it served a “compelling national security purpose,” which ultimately gave the White House insight into Israel’s campaign to combat a nuclear deal with Iran.

The White House reportedly let the NSA decide “what to share and what to withhold,” and as a result it learned that  Netanyahu and his advisors “leaked details of the U.S.-Iran negotiations—learned through Israeli spying operations- to undermine the talks; coordinated talking points with Jewish-American groups against the deal; and asked undecided lawmakers what it would take to win their votes.”

As previously reported, in March, both Netanyahu and former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner denied allegations that Israel spied on nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, and then gave the stolen classified information to Congressional Republicans to sway their vote.

Following the revelation from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that the NSA was spying on and collecting metadata from innocent Americans in June 2013, Obama promised that the U.S. “will not eavesdrop on the heads of state or government of close U.S. friends and allies, unless there is a compelling national security purpose” in Jan. 2014.

While diplomats such as French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel made Obama’s “protected list,” the WSJ’s report noted that Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not.

According to the report, a former Obama administration official claimed that the NSA was “so proficient at monitoring heads of state that it was common for the agency to deliver a visiting leader’s talking points to the president in advance.” 

After Boehner invited Netanyahu to address Congress in January 2015 without consulting the White House, the NSA reportedly realized that it was collecting data from Israeli lawmakers’ conversations with U.S. congress members. The report noted that while NSA rules require all names be changed to “U.S. person” in intelligence reports, senior U.S. officials can still request the names directly.

Featured, Politics, US

House Freedom Caucus Opposes Paul Ryan’s Terms for House Speaker

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The House Freedom Caucus ensured that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) would have the support to secure the position of Speaker of the House next week following a vote on Wednesday night.

However, while Ryan did receive two-thirds of the vote, he did not receive the 80 percent required for an endorsement, and the group stated that it would not accept all of his terms for Speaker.

After the meeting, Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) said, “We are not meeting all his demands, but if he wants to be speaker, he has the votes as of tonight.”

Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) shared a similar sentiment, regarding the group’s support for Paul. “We are sending the message to the conference and Paul Ryan that he has our support, but that we will continue to ask for the changes that we are asking for,” he said.

Following the vote, Ryan posted a statement on this Twitter, thanking the House Freedom Caucus for its support:

[pull_quote_center]I’m grateful for the support of a supermajority of the House Freedom Caucus. I look forward to hearing from the other two caucuses by the end of the week, but I believe this is a positive step toward a unified Republican team.[/pull_quote_center]

Paul’s run for Speaker of the House comes after Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that he was stepping down, and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the assumed replacement, dropped out of the race.

TIME noted that Ryan has given five main conditions to run for Speaker of the House, including that the Speaker should be a visionary who communicates the party agenda; the speaker will only concede to rules changes if the entire conference agrees; there will be no motions to vacate the chair; he must have free time to spend with his family; and everyone in the conference must vote for him.

Ryan’s condition for “family time” has drawn criticism due to the fact that during his time as a Representative, Ryan has opposed nearly every federal policy on paid family leave.

Featured, Politics, US

BREAKING: Kevin McCarthy Drops Out Of Speaker Race

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WASHINGTON, October 8, 2015– In an unexpected move that has Washington DC buzzing, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Cali.), the establishment pick, has dropped out of the race to replace Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Only an hour ago, media was reporting McCarthy as the presumptive nominee and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) took to Twitter saying that consensus was behind McCarthy becoming Speaker. However, it has become clear that McCarthy didn’t have the numbers to pull of a win.

“I’m not the one,” McCarthy reportedly said as House Republicans met to nominate their next Speaker. Audible gasps are reported to have been heard once McCarthy delivered his comments.

McCarthy’s exit comes as the House Freedom Caucus, a group of almost 40 conservative Representatives founded by Rep. Justin Amash, Rep. Scott Garrett, Rep. Jim Jordan, Rep. John Fleming, Rep. Matt Salmon, Rep. Raúl Labrador, Rep. Mick Mulvaney, Rep. Ron DeSantis and Rep. Mark Meadows., endorsed Rep. Daniel Webster (R- Fla.) over McCarthy yesterday.

In addition to the stinging abandonment of House conservatives, McCarthy handed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton what many consider to be a hand-wrapped gift when he told media that the Benghazi committee we set up to hurt Clinton’s chances of winning the presidency. Due to McCarthy’s comments, for the first time, Republicans were put on defense, rather than Clinton, with regards to Benghazi and her email scandal. In a matter of hours, Clinton was running an ad in New Hampshire and Iowa stating that the Benghazi committee was nothing more than a Republican witch-hunt and featured McCarthy’s comments as ‘proof’.

A candidate for Speaker must receive 218 votes in order to be elected. If no consensus emerges, Boehner has said he will remain Speaker until a new one is elected once consensus is reached.

McCarthy said he felt good about the decision and that a new face was needed in order to reach consensus.

Currently, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Rep. Daniel Webster are the only two declared candidates.

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Featured, Politics

BREAKING: House Speaker John Boehner Stepping Down From Congress

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WASHINGTON, September 25, 2015– Just two days ago, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio) was making headlines– conservatives were planning a coup to throw him off of the Speaker’s perch. Today, Boehner has announced that he will be stepping down from Congress next month.

On Wednesday, The Hill reported that conservatives were planning a coup to throw off Speaker Boehner due to Planned Parenthood funding.

“…lawmakers are wondering more than ever if Boehner’s days as Speaker are numbered,” reported The Hill.

Talk of the overthrow sent Washington into a frenzy.

“That’s what tells you there’s something afoot. You know there’s some drops of blood in the water, because all the sharks are starting to circle,” noted one conservative lawmaker who supports Boehner’s exit, according to The Hill.

Boehner allies had dismissed the chatter.

“The Speaker isn’t going anywhere,” Boehner’s spokeswoman, Emily Schillinger, said last week. “He’s focused on the American people’s priorities and how we can accomplish them.”

Fast-forward to today, Boehner sent a shock wave through Capitol Hill early this morning when it was announced that he would be stepping down from the Speakership and resigning from Congress at the end of October.

Two Republican lawmakers are likely to rise in an attempt to replace Boehner. House Majority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Cali.), the establishment pick, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the conservative pick.

While McCarthy is not necessarily well-liked among conservative House members, he has attempted to make inroads with them since replacing former House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor who was defeated by conservative challenger Dave Bratt in an upset that shook Capitol Hill to its core.

On the other hand, Jordan is the conservative pick, but is still somewhat well-liked among the establishment. Jordan was leading the charge to defund Planned Parenthood, and was willing to climb over Boehner to do so.

John Andrew Boehner was first elected to Congress in 1990.

FOLLOW MICHAEL LOTFI ON Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn.

Government Accountability, Politics

Conservative Files Motion To Oust John Boehner As House Speaker

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The growing rift among House Republicans reached a new height on Tuesday when Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) filed a motion to oust Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) as House Speaker.

In a copy of the resolution, obtained by Politico, Meadows claimed that Boehner has “endeavored to consolidate power and centralize decision-making, bypassing the majority of the 435 Members of Congress and the people they represent.” 

Meadows, who is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative group that is often in disagreement with Boehner, filed the motion after he was recently removed from his title as the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee. Meadows lost the title after voting against “a leadership-backed procedural vote on trade legislation,” and was retuned to his post after protests from fellow conservatives, according to the Washington Post.

In his motion, Meadows also alleged that Boehner has diminished the “voice of the American people” through inaction, by weakening Congress and making it “subservient to the Executive and Judicial branches.”

“Whereas the Speaker uses the power of the office to punish Members who vote according to their conscience instead of the will of the Speaker,” wrote Meadows, who went on to say that Boehner “intentionally provided for voice votes on consequential and controversial legislation,” and did not give House members the required three-day period to review legislation.

Some House members aren’t taking Meadows seriously, such as Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, who called the motion a “gimmick” and suggested that Meadows was just doing it because he is “probably in trouble in his district so he needs a way to raise money.”

In contrast, Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), also a member of the Freedom Caucus, said that he has “talked about the need for new leadership for a long time” because ultimately “people at home want us to take a new direction.”

Rep. Walter Jones Jr. (R-N.C.) said that he hopes talk show hosts “pick up on this thing and beat the drum so loud that other members feel like they can be encouraged to join this effort to change the leadership of the House.”

Reuters noted that although it is unlikely the motion filed by Meadows will pass, “it highlights the friction within the Republican Party ahead of a presidential election in 2016.”

“It’s really more about trying to have a conversation on making this place work, where everybody’s voice matters, where there’s not a punitive culture,” Meadows said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some discussion about that in the days and weeks to come.”

Meadows was just one of the 25 House Republicans who voted against Boehner when he was up for re-election in Jan. After he secured his third term as House Speaker, Boehner retaliated against some of the lawmakers who voted against him, such as Florida Reps. Daniel Webster and Rich Nugent, by removing them from the House Rules Committee.

Interviews, Politics

Exclusive: JD Winteregg Launches Primary Challenge Against John Boehner

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Speaker of the House John Boehner will face a fired up J.D. Winteregg once again in the upcoming primary election.

“It’s the same thing. John Boehner’s rhetoric doesn’t match John Boehner’s reality. He promises all of this stuff during the election time. He sounds like a good conservative. He promised to fight Obama tooth and nail against the executive amnesty orders, and what did he do in a matter of days after he won? He turns around and decides to fund it,” explained Winteregg in an exclusive interview with Joshua Cook.

“He punts on issues that seem to be difficult. In a sense, he’s spineless. I hate to use that word so freely, especially with my representative and someone who is supposed to be on my side. But the reality of it is, he’s not leading us, he’s not doing what he promised us he’d do. And I don’t see him doing anything but the enabling of our President, so someone has to fight him,” he added.

Winteregg is especially fired up about Boehner’s support of Obamatrade.

“Boehner and his friends are spending millions of dollars to try to convince the American people that our President has the willingness and ability to negotiate a trade agreement that will benefit the US,” said Winteregg to an email to Breitbart.

“This is the same man who traded five Islamic terrorists for a treasonous deserter. He’s also in the process of negotiating a horrible, ‘no preconditions’ deal with Iran, giving them what they want with no commitment from them to limit their uranium enrichment program. And Speaker Boehner believes this President will negotiate a trade deal in our best interests? On what basis?”

Obamatrade is just one of the issues that Winteregg feels strongly against Boehner about.

Winteregg said that he’s inspired by David Brat’s defeat of Eric Cantor, but he realizes that he’s in for a different battle.

“Groups of people who can organize and defeat the establishment. And the issue we have here is people fear Boehner. You see what he does. You see how he operates. It’s trickled down within the district as well at the local level. Local politicians who have cozied up to Boehner act the same way. People have this irrational fear in their minds that something is going to happen to them if they come out against Boehner or do anything against Boehner,” he explained.

“I think the momentum is definitely swinging my way. People are getting more and more frustrated. I think they’ve had it with him continuously caving. They’re really struggling to identify anything he’s done as a leader,” he said.

“I’m hoping to Winteregg him. It’s definitely in the realm of possibility,” he added.

Winteregg explained that he thinks that Boehner is beatable.

“We looked into doing it this time. We weren’t doing it if people in the area didn’t think he could be beat. We did polling and it showed us that he is extremely vulnerable, and we figured why not do it again?”

In the last election, Winteregg received about 15,000 votes, which he said was pretty good for someone who hasn’t run for public office before.

Winteregg explained that he’s been receiving support from people around the country.

“Boehner can essentially print money,” Winteregg said. “We need enough to get the message out.”

Click here to listen to Joshua Cook’s entire interview.

Foreign Policy, International, Politics, US

Boehner And Netanyahu Deny Report That Israel Spied On US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations

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Following a report that claimed Israel spied on nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, and then gave the stolen classified information to Congressional Republicans, both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US House Speaker John Boehner have denied the allegations.

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported that according to both current and former senior White House officials, Israel has been spying on private nuclear negotiations between Washington, Tehran and other major powers.

According to the anonymous officials, the spying operation, which included “information from confidential U.S. briefings, informants and diplomatic contacts in Europe,” was part of Israel’s larger campaign to “penetrate the negotiations and then help build a case against the emerging terms of the deal.”

The officials told the Wall Street Journal that the White House wasn’t as concerned about the fact that Israel spied on the negotiations, as it was about the fact that Israel then shared the stolen classified information with US lawmakers, in order to “drain support from a high-stakes deal intended to limit Iran’s nuclear program.”

On Tuesday, Mark Regev, a spokesman for Netanyahu, told WND that the Prime Minister “unequivocally and totally” denies the allegations. “This is a story by uncited, anonymous sources and doesn’t have an ounce of truth to it,” Regev said.

Boehner, who was responsible for breaking protocol and inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress on March 3 about nuclear negotiations with Iran without first notifying the White House, is expected to visit Israel at the end of March on a Republican congressional delegation. He addressed the report on Tuesday, and said that he was “baffled” by it.

“Frankly I was a bit shocked, because, there was no information revealed to me whatsoever.” Boehner said. “I’m not sure what the information was, but I’m baffled by it.”

International, Politics, US

Sec. Kerry: We Don’t Want Netanyahu’s Visit Turned into “Political Football”

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House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress about nuclear negotiations with Iran has created controversy, due to the fact that it was extended without the knowledge of the White House. Despite the lack of protocol, Netanyahu’s speech is scheduled to take place on Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appeared on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, and he said that the White House does not want to see Netanyahu’s visit turned into “some great political football.”

While Kerry said that Netanyahu is welcome to speak in the United States, he admitted that the fact that the negotiations surrounding the visit went through the speaker of the House, instead of the White House was odd.

“We don’t want to see this turned into some great political football,” Kerry said. “Obviously, it was odd, if not unique, that we learned of it from the speaker of the House and that an administration was not included in this process.”

Kerry maintained that the Obama administration was “not seeking to politicize” Netanyahu’s visit, and claimed that the U.S. and Israel have the same goal in mind, which is trying to “prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.”

Regarding comments from Iran about whether Netanyahu’s speech serves Iran’s interests, Kerry said he is not going to play the game of “walking into a debate about Iranian propaganda with respect to this visit,” and he emphasized the “unparalleled close security relationship” the U.S. has with Israel.

On Sunday, House Speaker John Boehner appeared on CBS’s Face The Nation. Although he was the one who invited Netanyahu to address Congress without notifying the White House, Boehner claimed that it is the White House’s response that has hurt relations between the U.S. and Israel.

“What I do wonder is why the White House feels threatened because the Congress wants to support Israel and wants to hear what a trusted ally has to say,” Boehner said. “It has been, frankly, remarkable to me to – the extent to which, over the last five or six weeks, the White House has attacked the prime minister, attacked me for wanting to hear from one of our closest allies.”

On Saturday, Politico reported that the number of Democrats who have pledged to boycott Netanyahu’s speech has risen to 30, with many of the members coming from the Congressional Black Caucus and claiming that Netanyahu’s visit without Obama’s consent is both an insult and a breach of protocol.

Foreign Policy, International, Politics, US

Fox News Bashes Boehner for Inviting Netanyahu to Address Congress, Not Notifying White House

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Following President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, House Speaker John Boehner invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak about nuclear negotiations with Iran at an upcoming joint session of Congress, without first verifying the invitation with Obama.

Politico described this move as Boehner’s “most dramatic foreign policy confrontation” with Obama to date, due to the fact that Netanyahu is a “fierce opponent of the emerging U.S. nuclear agreement with the Islamic republic and has served as Obama’s foil, of sorts, as the negotiations have progressed.”

According to the New York Times, Boehner’s invitation to Netanyahu “stunned” the White House, which called it a “breach of protocol,” and confirmed on Thursday that Obama would not meet with Netanyahu during his visit.

On Friday, in a discussion about Boehner’s subversion of Obama’s authority, Fox News correspondents Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith spoke out in criticism of both Boehner’s decision the extend an invitation, and Netanyahu’s decision to accept it.

Wallace said he completely agreed with former U.S. ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk when he told the New York Times:

“Netanyahu is using the Republican Congress for a photo-op for his election campaign and the Republicans are using Bibi for their campaign against Obama. Unfortunately, the U.S. relationship will take the hit. It would be far wiser for us to stay out of their politics and for them to stay out of ours.”

“I think he’s 100 percent right,” Wallace said, explaining that he had been at the White House on Wednesday when Boehner announced that he had invited Netanyahu to speak to Congress, and that Netanyahu had accepted.

Wallace said one White House official was “flabbergasted,” and claimed the administration was given “no advanced warning,” and first found out about Netanyahu’s impending visit when Boehner announced it to the Press.

“To make you get a sense of really how, forgive me, wicked, this whole thing is, the Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States for two hours on Tuesday,” Wallace said. “Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador, according to the State Department, never mentioned the fact that Netanyahu was in negotiations and finally agreed to come to Washington, not to see the president, but to go to Capitol Hill, speak to a joint session of congress and criticize the president’s policy. I have to say I’m shocked.“

Smith pointed out that although both members of the Mossad and members of his own political party have warned Netanyahu that the upcoming trip to the U.S. is a bad idea, he “won’t back out.”

“The newspapers over there are going wild over this,” Smith said. “It just seems like they think we don’t pay any attention and we’re just a bunch of complete morons, the United States citizens, like we wouldn’t pick up on what’s happening here.”

Wallace noted that although Netanyahu is an “extremely savvy and successful politician,” Israel is just weeks away from a major election, and Israel’s relationship with the U.S. is a big political issue.

“Even when they’re fighting with each other the Israelis want to know that the U.S. has their back,” Wallace said. “For Netanyahu to do something that is going to be seen as such a deliberate and really egregious snub of President Obama, when Obama’s going to be in power for the next year and three-quarters would seem to me to be a very risky political strategy for Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

US

Bartender indicted for threatening to kill Speaker Boehner

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A former bartender in Ohio has been indicted on the charge of threatening to kill House Speaker John Boehner.

Michael Hoyt, 44, worked as the bartender of the Wetherington Country Club in West Chester, Ohio, but he was fired in October. It was while working at this country club Hoyt had served drinks to Boehner for five years, according to WCPO Cincinnati.

Hoyt called police on Oct. 29, a week after being fired, and told the 911 dispatcher he blamed Boehner for his termination from the position.

When officers responded to Hoyt’s home, according to NBC News, Hoyt told the officers he believed he was Jesus Christ and that he also blamed Boehner for the Ebola outbreak. Court documents also show Hoyt claimed to hear voices coming from the speakers in his car and his home radio which told him Boehner was evil.

After being taken into custody, Hoyt was ordered by a judge to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at a facility run by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. According to FOX News, the FBI and U.S. Capitol Police believe Hoyt, “poses a current and ongoing credible threat” to Boehner.

Reuters also reports Hoyt had sent messages to Boehner’s wife, Debbie, which showed his anger at being fired from his position as the country club’s bartender. In the messages, Hoyt also said he could have easily killed Boehner previously by poisoning his drinks.

Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner, said Boehner  is “aware of the situation and sincerely thanks the FBI, the Capitol Police and the local authorities in Ohio for their efforts.”

It remains unclear as to why officials waited so long to indict Hoyt given the incident occurred on Oct. 29 and the complaint was filed on Nov. 6, while the indictment is dated Jan. 7.

Election, Politics, US

Boehner Secures Third Term as Speaker, Retaliates Against Opposition

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On Tuesday, after a loss of 25 votes on the House floor from fellow Republicans, John Boehner was elected to a third term as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He began by retaliating against a few of the representatives who voted against him.

The New York Times reported that the 25 Republicans who voted against Boehner compiled the “largest number of votes against a speaker from members of his or her own party in at least two decades.”

Once he secured the title for the third time, Boehner removed Florida representatives Daniel Webster and Rich Nugent from the House Rules Committee, as a demonstration that what was “accepted during the last Congress is no longer acceptable, not with the House’s biggest GOP majority in decades,” according to Politico.

Webster was one of the candidates who ran against Boehner. He received 12 votes, which was more than any of the other opposing candidates.

The New York Times reported that while the opposition from Louie Gohmert of Texas and Ted Yoho of Florida were expected, Webster’s last-minute entry “came as somewhat of a surprise,” and did the most damage, due to the fact that Webster is a “more pragmatic Republican who has a cordial relationship” with Boehner.

According to Bloomberg, Representative Randy Weber of Texas claims Boehner “won’t let him sponsor a bill headed for House floor consideration because he voted for Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas for speaker.”

“I’ve already lost the authorship of one bill,” said Weber, “Look, it shouldn’t be that way. It was going to be a bill on regulation of clean nuclear energy.”

Politico reported that upon hearing about the growing opposition, Boehner met with representatives Mark Meadows of North Carolina, Justin Amash of Michigan, and Matt Salmon of Arizona on Monday night, and with Raul Labrador of Idaho on Tuesday, prior to the vote. While Meadows voted for Webster, and Amash voted for Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, both Salmon and Labrador voted in support of Boehner.

According to the New York Times, although Boehner has always faced some opposition from other Republicans, Tea Party conservatives “felt betrayed anew late last month” after Boehner ignored their pleas to deny funding in the federal spending plan to enforce Obama’s new immigration orders.

Politico reported that while members are “already making noises about reversing any punitive action by Boehner and the leadership,” the speaker’s allies “warn that further retaliation could be on the way.”

Election, Featured, US

Full List Of Republicans Who Voted Against Boehner

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John Boehner held his title as House Speaker Tuesday, receiving 216 votes. Nancy Pelosi received 164 votes. A total of 25 House Republicans cast their votes for someone other than Boehner, over double the number of votes against Boehner in 2013.

The 25 Republicans who voted against Boehner, as well as who they voted for instead, are listed below:

  • Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) –  Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)
  • Rep. Brian Babin (Tex.) -“present”
  • Rep. Rod Blum (Iowa) — Rep. Dan Webster (R-Fla.)
  • Rep. Dave Brat (Va.) — Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.)
  • Rep. Jim Bridenstine (Okla.) — Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.)
  • Rep. Curt Clawson (Fla.) — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
  • Rep. Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.) — Jordan
  • Rep. Jeff Duncan(R-S.C.) — Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.)
  • Rep. Scott Garrett (N.J.) — Webster
  • Rep. Chris Gibson (N.Y.) — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)
  • Rep. Paul Gosar (Ariz.) — Webster
  • Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.)– Gohmert
  • Rep. Tim Huelskamp (Kan.) — Webster
  • Rep. Walter Jones (N.C.) — Webster
  • Rep. Steve King — Webster
  • Rep. Tom Massie (Ky.) — Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.)
  • Rep. Mark Meadows (N.C.) — Webster
  • Rep. Rich Nugent (Fla.) — Webster
  • Rep. Gary Palmer (Ala.) — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)
  • Rep. Bill Posey (Fla.) — Webster
  • Rep. Scott Rigell (Va.) — Webster
  • Rep. Marlin Stutzman (Ind.) — Webster
  • Rep. Randy Weber (Tex.) — Gohmert
  • Webster — Webster
  • Yoho — Yoho

The 2015 vote for House Speaker resulted in the most votes against an incumbent since 1923.

Politics, US

Rep. Justin Amash Joins Call For New House Speaker

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U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) provided a statement ahead of today’s vote for House Speaker thanking John Boehner for his service but called for a change in leadership in a Facebook post:

Republicans have a historic opportunity in this Congress. We can pass significant legislation and push President Obama to the bargaining table for the first time in his presidency. We can uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law. We can expand liberty and economic freedom for all Americans.

Our success is not assured. To accomplish our goals, we need sound strategy, crisp messaging, and a commitment to running the House as a deliberative body in which all its diverse voices are heard. Committees must be given enough time to do their work. Rank-and-file members must have sufficient time to read and debate legislation that can profoundly affect the lives of our constituents.

We have been told much over the last few years about opening up the House’s legislative process and returning to regular order. Yet time and again, it seems that Congress governs by crisis and raw partisanship.

Our party and our country are different than they were a generation ago. Americans at home have learned from the policy mistakes our Congress has made over the last few decades. It’s not clear that the men and women in congressional leadership have done the same. To appeal to more Americans and better reflect today’s Republicans, we need modern leaders who respect the diversity of ideas within the House of Representatives.

Speaker Boehner has been the leader of our party in the House for eight years. We have welcomed at least three large waves of new representatives during that time. Republican conference rules limit chairmen to six years in their offices to promote fresh thinking and new priorities. We should apply those same principles to all our party’s leaders.

The speaker of the House has one of the most challenging jobs in government. Speaker Boehner has given his best to our conference, and I thank him for his service. But it’s time for Republicans to change our leadership. This afternoon, I will vote for a new speaker.

Amash has joined several other Republicans in publicly stating their intent to vote for a new House Speaker: Reps. Jim Bridenstine, Marlin Stutzman, Thomas Massie, Ted Yoho, Steve King, Louie Gohmert, Walter Jones, Dave Brat, Paul Gosar, Rep.-elect Gary Palmer, Curt Clawson, Randy Weber, and Jeff Duncan have stated they will vote for someone other than Boehner.

The Washington Post reports that a minimum of 29 House Republicans would need to vote against Boehner in order to have a second ballot.

Gohmert and Yoho offered themselves as alternatives to Boehner over the weekend. “We’ve heard from a lot of Republicans that ‘Gee, Id rather vote for somebody besides Speaker Boehner, but nobody will put their name out there as running, so there’s nobody else to vote for. Well this changed yesterday when my friend Ted Yoho said ‘I’m putting my name out there, I’ll be a candidate for Speaker’ and I’m putting my name also out there also today to be another candidate for Speaker,” Gohmert told Fox News on Sunday.

According to Politico, those against Boehner’s reelection believe that neither Yoho and Gohmert will win, but are hopeful that if the election moves to a second ballot they may be able to find a new Speaker. Boehner’s supporters have stated that they will continue to vote for Boehner until the opposition concedes.

Featured, US

Boehner Gets Challenger from the Right, But Can Conservatives Get the Votes?

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Will House Republicans continue with the status quo and big government statism? Will House Republicans shift to the right and will they listen to Tea Party factions calling for the ouster of John Boehner?

Well conservatives may get their wish.

Rep. Louie Gohmert announced that he is challenging Boehner for House speaker.

“It is time for a change; it really is time for a change,” Gohmert said on “Fox & Friends.

 

According to the New American Freedom index score card, Rep. Gohmert earned 75%. Though he fails on voting for indefinite detention, it’s a lot better than Boehner’s aweful voting record of 53%.  

But conservatives who believe Republicans should oppose Obama’s socialist agenda are frustrated with no conservative wins even though Republicans have a majority in the House and hold the purse strings.

Breitbart reported that it only take 29 votes to oust Boehner, but do conservative members have what it takes to make that move? Will politics as usual prevail at the end of the day in Washington?

Grassroots activists are making a move to make sure they have the votes to unseat Boehner. See Facebook event here.

Reps. Walter Jones and Thomas Massie publicly stated that they will not vote for Boehner’s re-election. Will others follow their lead?

Will your Representative follow Massie’s lead? Click below to find their contact information.

Phone calls to Remove John Boehner as Speaker of the House.

 

Featured, Politics, US

Congressman Massie Announces He Will Not Vote For Re-Election Of Boehner

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United States Congressman Thomas Massie announced in a press release on Saturday that he will not be voting for the re-election of House Speaker John Boehner next Tuesday and described the current House leadership as a “significant source” of dysfunction.

“During my first two years as a congressman I discovered a significant source of the dysfunction. I watched the House Leadership:

  •  Schedule a fiscal crisis in a lame duck session on the last legislative day before Christmas to get maximum leverage over rank and file members,
  •  Mislead members into thinking that a vote on an unpopular bill was postponed, only to then conduct a rushed voice vote on the $10 billion unfunded spending measure with fewer than a dozen members present,
  •  Give members less than 72 hours to read bills over 1,000 pages long, and
  • Remove members from committees simply because they voted for the principles upon which they campaigned.”

Massie’s press release also stated that “Washington no longer works for the people” and he will vote for a new House speaker on January 6th, but did not name who he would be voting for. Boehner will need at least 218 votes to secure his re-election. While a Caddell Associates survey showed that 60% of Republicans polled would choose someone other than Boehner, it is unclear how many Republicans will join Massie in voting for an alternative.

US

Breaking News: Boehner Challenger Fired Over Ad

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J.D. Winteregg has been fired from his adjunct professor position at Cedarville University in Ohio due to his colorful web ad, accusing Speaker of the House John Boehner of “Electile Dysfunction.”

Liberty candidate Winteregg is running for Boehner’s congress seat.

“Sometimes when a politician is in D.C. too long, it goes to his head,” said the voice-over in the commercial titled “When The Moment Is RIght,” which is made to look like a Cialis or Viagra commercial.

The “cure” for “electile dysfunction,” according to the commercial, is Winteregg.

“When using Winteregg, it’s important to note that the borders will be secured, Second Amendment rights protected, Obamacare and Planned Parenthood will be de-funded and common sense will be used in solving the nation’s problems,” said the commercial’s voice over.

The viral video hit rubbed Winteregg’s employer the wrong way: Mark Weinstein, a Cedarville spokesman, said in a statement that the video political commercial “did not represent the views or values of Cedarville University,’’ a Christian school in Greene County, Ohio.

“Cedarville University does not engage in partisan politics and holds a high regard for displaying Christian values in the community,” Weinstein said. “When faculty or staff members participate in political conversations, interviews, advertisements or endorsements, they are doing so as individual citizens,” adding that Winteregg “concluded his teaching responsibilities’’ last week.

According to the Daily Caller, when Winteregg began his campaign, he was told by many in the political establishment that he would never work in Ohio again. Winteregg needs between 40,000 and 50,000 votes in the May 6 Ohio eighth district congressional primary to knock Boehner out of his own re-election race in November.

J.D. Winteregg running against John Boehner.
J.D. Winteregg is running against John Boehner.

Winteregg worked at Cedarville University for three years and was told last week that his contract would not be renewed.

The Washington Post reported that in an interview Winteregg said he was dismissed because of the innuendo-filled ad.

“They said because of the ad that my relationship with them will be done. It’s over,” Winteregg said Monday. “The ad obviously touched a nerve.”

For now, Winteregg is focusing on the election: “Now I just put my head down and work to win,” he said, “and hopefully I get that job in 2015.”

Politics, US

Speaker of the House Boehner : We Must Openly Support Our Gay Candidates

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NASHVILLE, December 5th, 2013–

Today Speaker of the House John Boehner told CNN correspondents that the GOP certainly needs to begin openly supporting gay GOP politicians that run for office. When asked the question by CNN, Boehner responded, “I do.”

Last Summer support for gay marriage hit an all time high. The surge of support came on the heels of the Supreme Court ruling that laws governing gay marriage should remain within the states.

There is certainly a generational divide when it comes to laws governing homosexuality in the republican party. Overall, 56% of republicans oppose gay marriage. However, the plurality of republicans under 50 support gay marriage. Forty-nine percent of republicans under 50 support gay marriage, while only 46% oppose it. Without regard to political party, 73% of voters under 30 support gay marriage.

With the majority of Americans supporting gay marriage, and a vast majority of younger voters supporting it, establishment republicans are now singing a different tune.

Rep Randy Forbes (R-VA) shot back at Speaker Boehner in opposition. According to Politico, Forbes has been leading something of a crusade in Washington to convince colleges that PAC money and think-tank support should not be given to gay republican candidates.

Forbes says that he doesn’t oppose individuals giving money to gay candidates, but feels that aggregate resources should not be delegated to such candidates.

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Politics, US

Members Of The House Say Boehner’s Days Are Numbered: “Farewell”

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Speaker of the House John Boehner has been under the gun for well over a year now. In fact, conservative groups have attempted to campaign for the removal of the Ohio republican twice in recent months. Once over his actions with regards to the Benghazi scandal, and again after he removed some of the most fiscally conservative members of Congress from their positions of power. Congressman Justin Amash was among one of those removed.

When the time came to reelect Boehner there were a number of conservatives who voted against him. However, he kept his seat.

Judge Napolitano recently made an appearance on the Tom Sullivan Show where he discussed the passage of the recent continuing resolution, which reopened the federal government.

“I’m going to make a wild prediction. The next time there is a dispute of this magnitude, which will be February, a different human being will be the speaker of the House of Representatives,” says Napolitano.

Napolitano goes on to point out that Boehner no longer represents the leadership of the core conservatives in the House. His sources within the House clarify his prediction.

Sullivan points out that Boehner received a standing ovation upon passing the continuing resolution. “I think it was a farewell,” jokes Napolitano.

Napolitano clarifies that he has no problems with Boehner and believes that he is a wonderful person, but that he simply hasn’t done what he was elected to do.

You can watch the interview here.

Politics, US

BREAKING: House GOP Caves On Debt Ceiling (UPDATE)

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WASHINGTON– GOP House leadership just finished a press conference where they announced they will allow the debt ceiling to be increased for the next 6 weeks.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Republican Conference Chair, provided opening statements. “We’re going to offer legislation that will allow a temporary increase in the debt ceiling that will allow us time to continue this conversation on the shutdown,” says Rodgers.

Rodgers says that democrats have been unwilling to talk and this is causing a delay in reopening the government.

Rodgers concludes, “We hope that the president will choose negotiation over crisis, leadership over inaction, and dialogue over silence.”

Speaker Boehner says, “The president is fond of saying that no one gets everything they want in negotiations, and I agree with that. However, over the course of the last ten days we’ve been trying to talk with our democratic counterparts– they don’t want to talk. The president doesn’t want to talk.”

Boehner points out that every bill the House has passed to reopen the government the Senate rejects. Boehner says that they will allow a temporary increase in the debt ceiling as long as the president is willing to actually attend conference with them and negotiate to reopen the government.

Eric Cantor, House Majority Leader, says the debt ceiling increase is only temporary and is in exchange for President Obama’s and Senate Majority Leader Reid’s willingness to negotiate. Cantor says that he is thankful that the president is finally willing to sit down and talk.

The question is now whether or not the president and democrats will actually negotiate. If history is to replay itself then the answer is most likely no; as the House has played this card before and democratic leadership simply refuses to negotiate once they have had their demands answered.

Boehner ended with an odd joke- “If ands and buts were candy and nuts every day would be Christmas.”

UPDATE (1)

Obama has rejected the 6 week ceiling deal. Reports from the White House suggest that Obama wanted a longer term ceiling increase.

Politics, US

Breaking: John Boehner and Harry Reid Secret Meetings To Protect Their Own Healthcare Subsidies

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As the debate rages on over whether or not Congress should continue its attempt to defund Obamacare, Politico has released leaked emails that indicate Speaker of the House John Boehner’s and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s staffs worked secretly to continue federal subsidies for members of Congress.

The emails first released by Politico, indicate that over a five month period, Boehner’s and Reid’s staffs worked together to create a legislative “fix” for the issue of whether Congressional members and their staffers could continue to receive between $5,000 and $12,000 a year in employer contributions from the Federal Government.

“As part of the Affordable Care Act, lawmakers and aides are required to join insurance exchanges that begin operating on Tuesday, the same day the government shut down.”

At its core, the issue surrounds the Office of Personnel Management and its decision that lawmakers and staff members could not receive those employer contribution subsides any longer once they were enrolled into healthcare exchanges. After pressure from Congress, top White House aides and even the President himself, the OPM reversed its position and issued a regulation saying that the subsidies would continue after October 1st.

So how is this newsworthy? Because during the debate over the government shutdown, Speaker Boehner included a measure that would end those very same subsidies. Subsidies that, again according to the leaked emails, the Speaker of the House fought secretly for.

Among the multiple attempts to create a fix for these subsidies, the emails indicate that Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Reid attempted to get a private meeting with President Obama to appeal for his help. Whats more, the emails between Speaker Boehner’s chief of staff Mike Sommers and Majority Leader Reid’s top aide David Krone agree that the reason for meeting with President Obama must remain secret.

“We can’t let it get out there that this is for [Boehner] and [Reid] to ask the President to carve us out of the requirement of Obamacare,” Sommers told David Krone, Reid’s top aide in a July 17 e-mail obtained by POLITICO.

That email conversation between Krone and Sommers goes on to claim that the cover story for the meeting with the President could be floated as “next steps on immigration” to which Sommers reportedly says, he isn’t concerned about the cover story so long as the real reason for the meeting remains a secret.

By the way, the meeting with President Obama never materialized. Neither did the legislative “fix” for the subsidies, which Boehner himself reportedly suggested. That suggestion included just hiding the language into another bill.

“‘When I was in the state legislature, we used to stick things in [bills] and no one would notice,’ Boehner said during a private meeting with Reid in July to discuss this issue, the sources said.”

What this story goes to demonstrate is the harsh reality of the false left/right paradigm in Washington. The reality of what is happening in our nation’s capital is so much political theater, so little attempt at actually representing the public.