Former Rep. Kevin McCarthy laid blame on the House Freedom Caucus for stopping the slim Republican majority from governing in Congress.
The California Republican told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Monday that any questions about why Republicans voted for another stopgap measure to keep the government from shutting down should be directed to the Freedom Caucus.
“You really should be asking the Freedom Caucus,” Mr. McCarthy said. “They are the ones who have stopped the Republicans from being able to govern.”
Another stopgap measure was passed last week that would extend the funding levels to March 1 and March 8. Mr. McCarthy, the former House speaker, was ousted from his position for a similar deal, prompting him to resign in December.
“They’re locking in the Democratic policies,” he said of the conservative group. “They’re actually spending more money now than if we go to the debt ceiling numbers. That would mean the government would spend less, we could put Republican policies in. But they continue to stymie this majority to be able to do anything.”
The Freedom Caucus opposed the stopgap funding bill that was passed last week, and has not supported any of the full-year deals that House Republicans have worked with Democrats on.
The top-line spending number that House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed upon with Democrats and the White House is eerily similar to the one that cost Mr. McCarthy his position. Republicans argued at the time that the figure wasn’t low enough.
What angers the conservative caucus is not the $1.59 trillion top line, but the additional $69 billion side deal for non-defense spending. They also argue that the border does not get enough attention in the funding.
“It really comes down to, what’s a true conservative? And I look to Ronald Reagan. A conservative is one that can actually govern in a conservative way,” Mr. McCarthy said. “But what you’re finding now is, what they’re doing is doing nothing but locks in Democratic Pelosi policies.”
He said they shouldn’t continue with stopgaps in the future.
“They should actually follow the numbers that was in the debt ceiling, which is lower than what they’re spending today,” Mr. McCarthy said. “You get to reform it with Republican policies, because you’re in the majority now in the House. You get to move forward and layout and show the American public why they should give you more seats in the House and actually capture the Senate.”
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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