The failure of congressional Republicans to take action to stop President Obama’s arguably unconstitutional and illegitimate executive actions, on immigration in particular, has created a growing unrest among those who put John Boehner in charge of the House and Mitch McConnell the Senate.
While there have been failed revolts in the House against Boehner’s leadership, by and large the anger has been kept out of the official GOP organizational structure.
Until now.
In what may be the first such action since the so-called “Cromnibus” and DHS funding passed, on Thursday night, March 12, 2015,the Tompkins County (NY) Republican Party Executive Committee voted “No Confidence” in the Congressional leadership.
Tompkins County is in the Southern Tier of upstate NY, a mostly rural county that includes the liberal City of Ithaca. It is in the NY-23 District that overwhelmingly voted for Republican incumbent Tom Reed in the 2014 election.
A source at the Tomkins Co. GOP told me:
“The recent Cromnibus vote and the vote on DHS funding/immigration were the straws that led to the resolution calling for new leadership, but they are just the culmination of many acts not vigorously opposed by Boehner and McConnell: immigration; ISIS, negotiations with Iran, FCC and EPA power grabs; presidential executive orders; unconstitutional recess appointments; political use of IRS; lack of transparency; stonewalling congressional investigations; selective enforcement of federal laws; and corruption, among others. Party committees do not normally take such actions but many party members are so upset with Boehner and McConnell’s passivity that unusual action was required. Now, perhaps, other Republican committees will also speak out.”
Here is the text of the Resolution that passed 7-5 (image of official resolution at bottom of post):
Resolution regarding “leadership”March 12, 2015Resolved that the Tompkins County Republican Party, speaking through its Executive Committee:1) Has no confidence in the “leadership” of House Speaker Boehner and Senate Majority Leader McConnell, and requests the respective Republican congressional caucuses to move to substitute new leaders who will vigorously contest the President’s and executive branch’s unconstitutional or over reaching executive orders and actions.2) To show seriousness of purpose, restore Constitutional checks and balances, and avoid an effective presidential dictatorship, the Tompkins County Republican Party urges our congressional leaders to vigorously use legal challenges, budget reconciliation, funding power, the treaty power, altering filibuster rules if necessary, and refusal to bring to the floor of the Senate any presidential appointments requiring confirmation while not recessing to avoid presidential interim appointments.
Executive Committee member Ed Weissman of Ithaca provided the following statement:
While I cannot speak for anyone but myself, my impression from the discussion that took place is that since their is no leadership from the top we must start from the bottom. I hope this will encourage other Republican committees around the region, the state and the nation to make their voices heard and to push for a change in attitudes and actions in Washington. The Republican leadership in Congress has shown that they are not willing to fulfill the pledges they repeatedly have made to push back hard using all the tools in their arsenal against President Obama’s unconstitutional power grabs and his administration’s ruinous policies. The leadership seem to fight most rigorously against the true conservatives in Congress, the ones who stand by their principles and uphold the oaths they took to defend the Constitution.
Executive Committee Member Henry Kramer provided the following:
Personally, my view is that the open very civil and respectful debate and vote we had on the subject of leadership reflects the very best part of the TC Republican Party, in which people are free to express their views and where we have and we value a wide diversity of opinion but share deeply certain basic principles. It shows that the TC Republican Party is very much alive and vigorous. The debate about leadership is a healthy “family issue” and should not be viewed by anyone as evidence of any form of fundamental “split” in our party but rather a concern that certain of our party leaders are not fully in touch with their base and the electorate in general and we need leaders who will more vigorously act to check a president and administration that show no respect for the constitution or limitations on their powers, is not transparent, and is scandal ridden.I find the TC Republicans welcome freedom of expression, are willing to speak out, and offer a real alternative to what has become the other party’s constant desire to expand government and “protect” people by limiting their freedom and choices. My hope is that more people seeing this, will join us, and work to elect people who really represent their views and desires for a change of direction, locally, county-wide, state-wide, nationally and in the world.
Requests for Comment have been sent to Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader McConnell, and Congressman Reed, but as of this writing there have not been any responses. If responses are received, we will add them.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY
