Category: US House

The bogus GOP claim that Biden is responsible for higher gasoline prices

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“As millions of Americans travel this holiday weekend, they are feeling the cost of Biden’s policies at the pump. Gas prices are at their highest level in 7 years.”

— Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, in a tweet, July 3

“Nowhere are Americans feeling the pain more than at the pump. Gasoline prices have spiked about 70 cents per gallon since President Biden was inaugurated. They will only continue to climb.”

— Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), in a Fox News opinion article, July 2

“Average gas price: June 2020: $2.21 June 2021: $3.07 President Biden’s economy!”

— Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), in a tweet, June 21

It’s that time of year again: Gasoline prices have spiked, and politicians are trying to make political hay.

The Fact Checker has had to deal with this faux issue for decades. We wrote about it in 1996 when then-Sen. Bob Dole campaigned for president and urged a repeal of the 4.3 cent gasoline tax because gasoline then was on track to reach $1.31 a gallon. We wrote about it in 2000 when gas prices appeared to have popped to the highest level ever. We wrote about it in 2012 when Republicans misleadingly complained that gasoline prices had doubled in President Barack Obama’s term.

And here we are again. President Biden has been president for only six months, and somehow his policies have already led to high gasoline prices. Continue reading.

GOP Candidate Violently Disrupts Rep. Porter’s Town Hall

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Nick Taurus, a Republican running for the seat in California’s 45th Congressional District currently held by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, was reportedly involved in what the Los Angeles Times called a “scuffle” at a town hall Porter held on Sunday in Irvine, California.

According to the Times‘ reporting, Taurus and a group of his supporters interrupted Porter with chants and shouting as she spoke, leading to physical confrontations between his supporters and hers that were broken up by police.

On July 8, Taurus had posted a call on his Instagram account for his supporters to cause disruption at the event. “CONFRONT KATIE PORTER!” Taurus wrote, adding, “Her America Last policies are awful for the 45th district and we intend to voice our displeasure.” Continue reading.

GOP bill for Capitol security cuts House version by two-thirds

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The Republican proposal would still largely reimburse the National Guard and U.S. Capitol Police

A Republican proposal to address security costs from the Jan. 6 insurrection would largely reimburse the National Guard and U.S. Capitol Police but cut roughly two-thirds from the House Democrats’ $1.9 billion version for other expenses.

The $632.9 million draft bill, obtained by CQ Roll Call and dated June 29, represents the latest milestone in the ongoing debate between Republicans and Democrats about how to cover costs associated with the attack on the Capitol and bolster security going forward.

But the GOP proposal likely won’t be the final agreement, with Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick J. Leahy saying it “doesn’t provide the necessary resources to appropriately secure the Capitol complex.” Continue reading.

Mo Brooks Urges CPAC Crowd To Fight ‘Like Our Ancestors At Valley Forge’

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Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), who was one of the very first leaders of Donald Trump‘s January 6 insurrection, on Friday urged GOP voters at a conservative conference to fight and die for America, just like George Washington’s soldiers did at Valley Forge, and telegraphing to them their very “survival” is at stake.

Brooks was the first member of Congress to declare he would vote against certifying the results of the Electoral College and vote to overturn the free and fair presidential election. On January 6 he also delivered a speech, telling Trump supporters at the Trump-financed, Trump-produced, and Trump-promoted rally prior to the violent attack on the Capitol, “Today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass.”

On Friday Brooks told attendees at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, that the “choice is simple: We can surrender and submit. Or we can fight back, as our ancestors have done.” Continue reading.

Lauren Boebert campaigns against all government benefits — and it may haunt the GOP in the 2022 midterms

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Controversial Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) excited the left on Saturday after a clip from her speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) provided fodder heading into the 2022 midterm elections.

While Republicans have largely avoided talking about policy while instead focusing on manufactured culture wars outrages, Boebert laid out her vision.

“We’re here to tell government we don’t want your benefits. We don’t want your welfare,” she said. Continue reading.

McCarthy, GOP face a delicate dance on Jan. 6 committee

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) faces a daunting task as he weighs his options for appointing Republicans to a special committee to investigate the Capitol attack of Jan. 6.

Formally, his picks need approval from Democratic leaders, who wrote the rules for the panel. Informally, McCarthy’s choices can’t upset former President Trump, who remains the party’s kingmaker. And internally, they can’t alienate one faction of McCarthy’s conference or another, which could threaten his chances of becoming Speaker if the House flips in next year’s midterm elections.

Yet there’s a fourth complication, as well: A number of lawmakers say they’re simply not interested in being on the committee. Continue reading.

McCarthy Decries ‘Partisan’ Jan. 6 Committee — Which Is Exactly Like Benghazi Panel

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is furiously claiming that a newly authorized select committee to investigate the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection will be “the least bipartisan committee you can find.” But just seven years ago, he voted for a nearly identical investigation into attacks against the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012.

On Fox News on Thursday night, McCarthy (R-CA) was asked about the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, created last Wednesday by a majority vote in the House of Representatives over his objections.

“Think about the structure. It’s not an equal number of Republicans or Democrats,” McCarthy complained. “She [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] appointed [Reps.] Adam Schift [sic] and [Jamie] Raskin. This is a impeachment committee. Only Democrats have subpoena power. The speaker has control over anyone who is appointed. She appoints everyone, just with ‘consultation’ with Republicans.” Continue reading.

Members of Congress demand immediate funding for Capitol Police, but face headwinds in the Senate

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Members of Congress are sounding the alarm over the need to immediately fund the U.S. Capitol Police and National Guard or risk both security departments running out of money, potentially leading to hundreds of furloughs and cuts that would mark the latest setback for the forces after a tumultuous year.

Money allotted yearly to an account that pays for the thousands of Capitol Police officers is running out faster than in previous years because of overtime incurred by officers after the Jan. 6 insurrection. The end of the fiscal year is Sept. 30, but Congress has been unable to pass all appropriation bills through both chambers by that date for the past several years, delaying necessary funding to keep the Capitol safe.

House Democrats, in particular, are pressuring the Senate to immediately consider passing a $1.9 billion emergency security supplemental measure during the July session that would quickly allot $31 million to cover overtime pay, a demand that can be made difficult by a packed summer legislative calendar. Continue reading.

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy secretly assigned an aide to clean up Marjorie Taylor Greene’s messes: CNN

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According to a report from CNN’s Melanie Zanona, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) still fears publicly criticizing some of the extremist members of his caucus and, behind the scenes, has assigned a staff member to advise Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) on how to dig herself out after she goes too far with her inflammatory comments.

According to CNN’s “New Day” host Brianna Keilar, “A top adviser to House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was involved in a behind the scenes effort to rehabilitate the reputation of Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. This adviser facilitated Taylor Greene’s visit to the Holocaust Memorial from last month after which she publicly apologized for her anti-semitic remarks.”

“Here is the thing though,” the CNN host added. “That remorse didn’t stick. She invoked Nazi-era imagery again this week to mock Covid safety practices.” Continue reading.

GOP lawmakers who oppose background checks now very concerned about shootings

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Republicans continue to block efforts in Congress to pass gun control legislation.

House Republicans, nearly all of whom voted against legislation to require a background check prior to all gun purchases, are now blaming President Joe Biden and other Democratic officials for a rise in the number of shootings and homicides.

In a series of tweets from their official caucus Twitter account on Tuesday, Republicans in the House noted a recent Fox News story about an increase in the number of shootings in major cities in 2021 so far compared to the first half of last year. “Welcome to Joe Biden’s America,” they tweeted, and paraphrased Fox contributor Joe Concha: “The common thread these are all cities run by Democrat Mayors.”

Several members of the caucus shared the tweets or offered their own similar assessments. Continue reading.