New York Republican Blasts Freedom Caucus’s ‘Little Temper Tantrum,’ Reminds Them They Need to Work in ‘Good Faith’
New York Republican Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) tore into hardliners in his own party while on MSNBC’s Morning Joe Thursday, taking aim at their recent shutdown of House votes in protest of the debt ceiling deal.
House Freedom Caucus members, led in part by flamethrowing Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), vowed this week to “hold the floor” until House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) gives into certain demands. Given McCarthy’s slim majority, the small group of GOP hardliners is able to block legislation from coming to the House floor for debate and eventually a vote.
While on MSNBC, Lawler was asked if he was concerned the GOP revolt might lead to McCarthy’s ouster as speaker.
“No, I’m not concerned about the speakership. I think Speaker McCarthy has been continually underestimated throughout the course of the first six months here and has done a very good job advancing legislation through the House,” Lawler replied before taking aim at the right flank of his party.
“I think my colleagues need to recognize, as I said back in January when we had the speaker vote, the vast majority of our conference is unified and we will continue to hold firm,” he continued, concluding:
We’re not going to be overrun by a handful of folks. You have to work as colleagues. You have to work in good faith. And I think when they get over their little temper tantrum, they need to show up to do their job come Monday, because I will be here to do mine. And that’s what I expect of all of my colleagues that were elected to represent the people of this country.
Lawler wasn’t the only Republican ally of McCarthy to bash the GOP hardliners in the press. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), whose district President Joe Biden won in 2020, told CNN, “They’re giving a black eye to conservatives. Real conservatives aren’t into anarchy and division. A house divided cannot stand. Teams win.”
Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) gave CNN an even more colorful quote, saying, “This is political incontinence. We are pissing ourselves, and we can’t do anything about it. It’s beyond our control. We can’t help ourselves. The honeymoon is over.”
The Freedom Caucus revolt began on Tuesday and shows no immediate sign of a resolution as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) told CNN’s Kristin Wilson that the House will only return on Monday.
Watch the clip above via MSNBC.
