Massachusetts
01-07-2015, 08:00 PM
During Tuesday's dramatic roll-call election for speaker, Rep. Thomas Massie was front-and-center on the House floor - comparing notes and cajoling fellow conservatives in a campaign to deny John Boehner a third term at the helm of the House.
In an interview Wednesday, Massie declined to characterize his role in the coup attempt. But there's little question he was a key player; he nominated one GOP candidate to run against Boehner, R-West Chester, and he was in near-constant motion as the 75-minute vote unfolded.
While the coup attempt failed, it has cemented the Northern Kentucky Republican's status as a hard-charging conservative and perennial thorn in Boehner's side. It remains to be seen whether it also curbs his clout in Congress and results in retribution from GOP leaders.
Soon after Tuesday's vote, two other Republicans who opposed Boehner were stripped of their seats on the House Rules Committee. At a news conference Wednesday, Boehner said they were not removed from the panel--just not reappointed for now.
Whatever the fallout in Washington, Massie said he firmly believes he did the right thing in opposing Boehner, who represents a neighboring district.
"I didn't come here to collect merit badges," Massie said. "I came here to change things in Washington. I diagnosed a large part of the dysfunction and its right here in the leadership of the House."
Read more at:
h**p://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/01/07/massie-boehner/21413665/
Good read.
In an interview Wednesday, Massie declined to characterize his role in the coup attempt. But there's little question he was a key player; he nominated one GOP candidate to run against Boehner, R-West Chester, and he was in near-constant motion as the 75-minute vote unfolded.
While the coup attempt failed, it has cemented the Northern Kentucky Republican's status as a hard-charging conservative and perennial thorn in Boehner's side. It remains to be seen whether it also curbs his clout in Congress and results in retribution from GOP leaders.
Soon after Tuesday's vote, two other Republicans who opposed Boehner were stripped of their seats on the House Rules Committee. At a news conference Wednesday, Boehner said they were not removed from the panel--just not reappointed for now.
Whatever the fallout in Washington, Massie said he firmly believes he did the right thing in opposing Boehner, who represents a neighboring district.
"I didn't come here to collect merit badges," Massie said. "I came here to change things in Washington. I diagnosed a large part of the dysfunction and its right here in the leadership of the House."
Read more at:
h**p://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/01/07/massie-boehner/21413665/
Good read.