‘I Believe That Was You, Sir’: CNN’s Keilar Brings Receipts To GOP Congressman
CNN’s Brianna Keilar called out Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) over his sudden about-face regarding the Congressional Budget Office.
Burchett claims he is unsure as to how he will vote for a major spending bill backed by President Donald Trump, who has been whipping reluctant Republicans in to supporting the legislation, which according to the CBO will add $3.3 trillion to the country’s deficits over the next 10 years. Several GOP lawmakers have said the bill will add too much to the national debt. Others have insisted that the CBO is “partisan” against the GOP.
Appearing on Wednesday’s OutFront, Burchett told Keilar, who was guest-hosting, that he is “firmly undecided.”
“I’m leaning in the affirmative,” he said before questioning the CBO estimate. “But I’m just waiting out to hear just exactly everything. We’ve been breaking it down piece by piece.”
Burchett’s explanation prompted the following exchange in which Keilar reminded Burchett he held the CBO in high regard just last year:
KEILAR: So, you’re taking issue with the CBO estimate here?
BURCHETT: Yes, ma’am. I do have an issue with it. The office is very partisan. I mean, 85% of the people in their healthcare division identify as a Democrat, or they’ve contributed to Democrats or they’re registered Democrats. I believe their leading economist is that. We oughta do away with these organizations because we use them when we like them. We don’t use them when we don’t like them. And you’ve got a bunch of bureaucrats in here that are on a lifetime gravy train. And frankly, we’ve got independent agencies that can do that. We have people up here with accounting degrees that can do the math. So, I feel like that is that is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
KEILAR: So, in January 2024, there was a Republican who trusted the CBO so much that they reintroduced a resolution to require the House clerk to read the CBO estimate of any bill. I believe that was you, Sir. The third time you introduced that resolution? Is that right?
BURCHETT: That’s correct, ma’am. And that proves just what I said–
KEILAR: But you don’t like the CBO now.
BURCHETT: Ma’am?
KEILAR: But you don’t like the CBO now. You introduced that resolution over multiple years, but now you’re dissing the CBO.
BURCHETT: Did the bill pass?
KEILAR: Your resolution?
BURCHETT: Yes, ma’am.
KEILAR: You introduced it, sir. It’s irrelevant.
BURCHETTE: I know it, ma’am. They never passed because nobody wants any verification. It proves my point when it serves–
KEILAR: But the point– you took a stance
[CROSSTALK]
Keilar then moved on.
The bill in question passed in the Senate this week and would extend the 2017 tax cuts, slash Medicaid by $1 trillion, add $150 billion to the Pentagon budget, and increase funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement from $10 billion to more than $100 billion, among other provisions.
Earlier on Wednesday, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) urged his Republican colleagues to “give up on our personal preferences” and vote for the legislation.
Watch above via CNN.
