‘Swampy!’ House Republicans Rage Over ‘Backroom Deal’ to Bail Out GOP Colleague Facing Censure

House Republicans are furious with several of their GOP colleagues over what they say is a “backroom deal” to bail out a Republican facing censure.

Late Tuesday night, a House vote to censure Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) for texting with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 House Oversight Committee hearing failed by 209-214 margin. Three Republicans (Rep. Don Bacon [NE], Rep. Lance Gooden [TX] and Rep. Dave Joyce [OH]) joined with Democrats to vote down the measure. Three other Republicans voted present.

Democrats had countered the move against Plaskett by introducing a measure of their own to censure Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) and to remove him from the House Armed Services Committee. Mills is facing numerous allegations — including; domestic abuse, stolen valor, and financial misconduct. (Mills denies all of the accusations.) But the measure against Mills is likely to be withdrawn after the measure against Plaskett was defeated.

Numerous Republicans blasted the move to help Plaskett as part of what they called a “backroom deal” to protect Mills.

“Tonight, a handful of Republicans took a dive on a vote to strip Stacy (sic) Plaskett of her position on House intel because of her ties to Epstein,” wrote Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) on X. “They did it to protect a Republican facing his own ethics issues from a similar vote. This backroom deal sh*t is swampy, wrong and always deserves to be called out.”

“What they did was they cut a deal on an ethics vote on another Republican,” said Tim Burchett (R-TN). He added, “It’s really disgusting. I get disgusted about some things, but this is one that’s really bad. … It’s bogus, and it stinks. The first chance I get to speak to our leadership, I will give them a piece of my mind. And I doubt it will go anywhere. But they’re the most sewer-dwelling folks — not all of them, but some of them are. It’s just disgusting.

And Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) took her grievance to the House floor.

“I was wondering if the Speaker of the House can explain why leadership on both sides, both Democrat and Republican, are cutting back-end deals to cover up public corruption in the House of Representatives,” Luna said.

“Woot! Get it, girl!” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) added, in the background.

Watch above.

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