Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called Wednesday for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to stop being “clever” and allow senators to vote on whether Americans should receive direct, $2,000 stimulus payments.
Gingrich made the comment during a Fox News interview as he was speculating on the Republican Party’s chance of retaining two Senate seats in Georgia’s Jan. 5 runoff elections. “I think a combination of turning voters out and making sure the polls aren’t stolen, those two things will probably decide the election because it’s so close,” he said. “But also I think [it’s] important for the Senate Republicans to get a grip, and not try to play cute parliamentary games with the president’s $2,000 payment.”
Gingrich noted Georgia’s incumbent Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue said they supported the payments. “I think 80 percent of the country favors it,” Gingrich said. “The Senate Republicans risk throwing away two seats — and control of the senate — if they play parliamentary games instead of having a straight up-or-down vote.”
At President Donald Trump’s behest, the House on Monday passed an amendment to increase the size of payments authorized by a previous stimulus measure from $600 to $2,000. In addition to Loeffler and Perdue, Senate Republicans who have said they support the move include Marco Rubio (FL), Lindsey Graham
However, McConnell on said on Tuesday that he would only allow a vote on the payments if they were tied to unrelated policy measures for which the president has called. Those include a repeal of Section 230, a liability law favored by tech companies, and the creation bipartisan commission to study claims about election fraud.
“On this one, I think, he’s frankly confused different things,” Gingrich said. “The long-term control of the U.S. Senate lies in Georgia. Both Georgia senators have endorsed the $2,000 payment that President Trump has proposed, and Mitch ought to bring it up in a clean vote.”
“But I really am very worried that if he plays it a clever parliamentary game, it may look good inside the Senate, but it could cost us two senate seats and control of the senate,” he added. “So I would beg him to bring up the $2,000 payment as a free-standing, independent vote.”
Watch above via Fox News.