Speaker John Boehner is being accused of “intimidation tactics” after he booted Republicans — those who didn’t support his re-election to his House leadership post — from the powerful Rules Committee.
Twenty-five of his fellow GOPers failed to vote for Mr. Boehner for speaker. Two have already been tossed off the Rules Committee — Reps. Dan Webster, who actually ran against Mr. Boehner, and Richard Nugent, who voted for Mr. Webster, along with 11 of his House colleagues.
Just hours after the vote, Mr. Nugent told The Hill that he was losing his Rules assignment. Mr. Webster was also booted, The Hill reported.
Now Mr. Boehner is being accused of taking revenge.
“Boehner kicked Webster and Nugent off Rules Committee 4 voting against Boehner. No room for intimidation tactics. I stand w/them,” Rep. Steve King of Iowa tweeted shortly after he learned of the incident.
Meanwhile, Rep. Tim Huelskamp from Kansas said that shortly after he announced intent to vote against Mr. Boehner, he lost his expected chairman role of a subcommittee.
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“I tweeted out [that I wouldn’t vote for Boehner] and an hour later they called me and said, ’you worked real hard but the leadership team wouldn’t let it happen,’” Mr. Huelskamp told The Hill.
Politico, meanwhile, reported that leadership in the House is now reviewing who voted against Mr. Boehner — as well as against the crominbus spending bill in December.
Mr. King sharply criticized the perceived revenge and suggested it’s the voters who were ultimately losing.
“If you cannot vote your conscience,” he told Politico, “then it’s clearly a dysfunctional system here.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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