18 Ex-GOP Congress Members Defend Former Colleagues Threatened Over Infrastructure Votes: Punishing Them Would Be ‘Political Stupidity’
18 former House Republicans co-signed a statement Monday defending the 13 Republicans currently facing internal outrage and external threats for their infrastructure votes.
The bipartisan infrastructure package (signed into law by President Joe Biden Monday) was passed with the support of a few Republicans, including Congressman Fred Upton (R- MI) and Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R- NY).
Upton got disturbing, threatening messages as a result of that vote, while a man was arrested for allegedly sending a death threat to Garbarino.
The 18 former GOP House members who signed Monday’s statement are: Charlie Dent, Phil English, Barbara Comstock, Leonard Lance, Jim Gerlach, Joe Walsh, Jim Greenwood, Ray LaHood, Carlos Curbelo, Tim Petri, Charles Boustany, Jim Walsh, Tom Davis, Chris Shays, Charlie Bass, Wayne Gilcrest, Rick Lazio, and Rodney Freylinghuysen.
Dent, Walsh, and Comstock have been particularly vocal in the past year expressing dismay over the growth of Trumpism in the Republican party.
They say in their joint statement that it would be “unconscionable” if Republican leaders discipline these members over policy disagreements.
“Removal of members from their committee assignments should be reserved for those who engage in misconduct, violate standards of conduct or bring discredit upon the House,” they write. “Imagine the outcry and the political stupidity of punishing distinguished, honorable Congressmen who served previously as an Air Force General, a Special FBI Agent and an Assistant US Attorney, while condoning the misbehavior of Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar.
These 18 former House members also want House GOP leaders like Kevin McCarthy to publicly “condemn and repudiate” the vindictiveness and threats aimed at their colleagues.
They call out Greene in particular because of her attacks on colleagues, calling them “traitors” and posting their office numbers.
You can read the full statement here, via CNN’s Manu Raju.
