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The Purge of House Conservatives Continues

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  December 3rd, 2012 at 01:59 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Well, House leadership made sure to elevate like-minded members to leadership; they took care to co-opt the Republican Study Committee; they packed the Steering Committee, which chooses committee assignments, with a bunch of loyalists.  Now we’re seeing the effects of those decisions.

Maybe it’s because he’s intent on repealing Dodd-Frank.  Maybe it’s because he wants to use his committee assignment to advocate winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Perhaps it’s because of his opposition to the $1 trillion farm bill.  Maybe it’s because he’s just too darn conservative to sit on an important committee.

Earlier today, we provided a list of those who made it onto the Super A committees.  Well, Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) is a conservative freshman member who was actually kicked off the Financial Services Committee.  Members are rarely kicked off committees unless there is a scandal.

David Schweikert is one of those 2010 freshmen who is actually a Tea Partier in deed as well as rhetoric.  While many freshmen folded under the pressure from leadership, Schweikert was actually removed from the Whip team because of his conservative dissent during the budget battles.

And who is replacing him on the committee?  Our good buddy, Richard Hudson (NC-8), who was handpicked by leadership to run.  Hmmm, I can’t remember the last time a sophomore member was replaced by an incoming freshman for no good reason.  [Correction: It looks like Hudson was not placed on the Financial Services Committee once he got a spot on the Steering Committee.  Instead he was appointed to the Agriculture Committee at the same time Tim Huelskamp, an Ag policy expert, was thrown off the committee.]

Moreover, there are at least seven vacancies on this committee.  It’s not like there were too many qualified candidates.  Cantor and McCarthy went out of their way to banish Schweikert from the committee, even though he is one of the few remaining freshmen who were reelected.  It’s pretty sad they are willing to let their personal vendetta lead their decision to knock off one of the most knowledgeable members on issues pertaining to GSEs and monetary policy from the committee.

Then there’s the case of Tim Huelskamp (R-KS).  He is one of the most conservative members of the House.  He was told today that his service on the Budget Committee would no longer be appreciated.  Maybe it’s because of statements like this.

Update: Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) was also tossed off the Budget Committee.

Update II: The Club for Growth illuminates an ancillary benefit from this purge: “Congressmen Schweikert, Huelskamp, and Amash are now free of the last remnants of establishment leverage against them. We expect that these three defenders of economic freedom will become even bolder in their efforts to defend the taxpayers against the big spenders in both parties,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola in a press release.

There are more conservatives who are being left off any A or B level committee as we speak.  Some don’t have any committee assignments yet for next year.

It’s becoming clear that there is only one faction that demands ideological purity.  And it’s not the faction that upholds the ideology of the party.

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  • celador2

    IN 2006 Boehner lost about 40 seats and even more in 2008. McConnlee had 39 seats when Obama took office giving OBam a majoritarian HOuse and a Senate with no checks by fillibudter.
    In 2010 the tea party revolt, a grass roots movement not generated by US House of Representaives, revolted peacfully but loudly at took to traveling to DC for rallies and gatherings around the hot items of exploding spending and debt. teaprty stood for limited government but oBam had grown it at an alarming rate.
    . The Teaparty swept into DC November 2010 and duly elected the House minority leadr John Boehner Speaker January 2011. That choice may have been a mistake, electing Booehner Speakrr whrn the tea party had that power to elect one of their own
    Boehner and Canotr forgot who brung ‘em to the dance this week in caucus and committee assignments and tried to remove from committee any onfluential conservatives. Note: Paul Ryan. was not purged and must have allowed the purges.
    There is no one else offering them a ride other than the conservative base. If they continue this wishy washy irrelevant road trip they will lose more seats 2014 just like they did 2006 and 2008.
    If we or conservtives ever get back power, we mus not give it away in a grand jesture. like tea party llet Boehner step into Speakership they had won for GOP.

  • lonelyinthemiddle

    While I still think it would be good for the country to have a viable 3rd party conservative option, I’m torn between that idea and the math that results in implementing that idea.

    As one of my more liberal leaning friends said to me recently (paraphrasing): “The only person in the world that wants a conservative 3rd party more than the tea party is Bill Clinton. Take 5-10% of the electorate away from the Republican party in 2016, and Hillary wins the White House virtually unopposed in the largest electoral win in modern U.S. history.” It’s hard to look at the math and argue.

    He’s got a point…Although the comedian in me likes the idea of Slick Willie with unbridled access to interns, I suspect this isn’t the outcome the conservative movement hopes for.

  • electconstitutionalists

    Schweikert and Jones were anti-inflationary and anti-Bernanke voices on the monetary subcommitee, thus were purged by the establishment. Amash and Hulskamp wanted budgets to balance soon, not Ryan style 28 years to balance budgets. They had to be purged.

  • carlfromgeorgia

    Why not abstain from the election of a Speaker. With about 40 abstentions, Pelosi will win, and Boehner will be forced to resign from the House and a new steering committee appointed. When the Republicans decide to form a coalition with the Tea Party, Pelosi can be removed at the next House session.

  • celador2

    Michele Bachmann MN, chr tea party caucus, was placed on Intel Com last term.Did she teturn for the next session?

    Second, is there an active House tea party caucus still? Michele Bachmann was first Chair and founder.

  • earlgrey

    I feel helpless, but I did call the 1800 number on my RNC donation form I got in the mail today and told them to take me completely off their mailing and phone list.

  • freemanja1991

    Is anyone going to cover Jo Ann Emerson’s resignation, I believe she is a top appropriator and moderate.

  • http://llphsecondrevolution.wordpress.com/ spoasteph97

    Can someone help me? http://www.rollcall.com/news/schweikert_booted_from_financial_services_committee-219597-1.html

    This article reports that Conservative Rep. Mulvaney will replace Schweikert. But this RedState article says that Hudson will replace him…who is it?

  • http://llphsecondrevolution.wordpress.com/ spoasteph97

    Our goal must be to elect more conservative representatives. The fewer moderates, the less choices Boehner will have to purge conservatives. The only reason he can purge conservatives is that he has moderates to replace them with. If there are not enough moderates…the worst he can do is replace a conservative with another conservative…which wouldn’t make sense.

  • http://llphsecondrevolution.wordpress.com/ spoasteph97

    Amen. She is a moderate appropriator. My fear is that she will just be replace by another moderate. CONSERVATIVES MUST PLAN FOR 2014 PRIMARY CHALLENGES! WE MUST PURGE MODERATES OUT OF CONGRESS!

  • http://llphsecondrevolution.wordpress.com/ spoasteph97

    News is coming out that Sarah Steelman is interested in running. She would be a huge improvement and should be supported by conservatives if she runs!

  • zollistar

    In case you thought otherwise, you can forget it.

    Yes, Virginia, there really IS a Republican Establishment.

  • http://www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com ColdWarrior

    spoasteph97, you have stated the goal correctly. That’s the easy part. The hard part is making it happen.

    Here’s the text of the flyer I’ve been using where conservatives gather (for example, tea party rallies, protests outside Dem congresscritter offices) to try to entice those conservatives to attend their local legislative district Party committee meeting:

    >>>>>

    ACTION BY DOING vs. INACTION BY TALKING

    If you really want to change the country, start by becoming a Republican Party Precinct Committeeman! It’s the most powerful office in the world because Precinct Committeemen determine who gets the chance to be elected to office at every level of government. Is saving your country worth a few hours of your time each month? I thought so. Please read on for what to DO.

    1. To change things, we must change the laws.
    2. To change the laws, we must change the people who make the laws.
    3. To get elected, your candidate must be on the ballot.
    4. To get on the November ballot you must win the Primary.
    5. To win the Primary, you must get the support of people who make endorsements in the Primary, who reliably vote in the Primary, and who get out the vote of others in the Primary. Those people are the Precinct Committeemen.

    REAL CHANGE WILL NOT JUST HAPPEN

    Most importantly, by becoming a Precinct Committeeman, YOU GET TO ACTUALLY VOTE FOR THE PARTY LEADERSHIP. YOU GET TO CAST A VOTE FOR YOUR LOCAL REPUBLICAN LEADERS UP TO THE COUNTY LEVEL, AND THEN GET TO ELECT ELECTORS WHO ELECT THE STATE AND NATIONAL PARTY LEADERS. If those who accept, understand and advocate conservative principles become a majority IN THE PARTY RANKS, guess what? The Party leadership voted in will be those who accept, understand and advocate conservative principles. THE WINNING PRINCIPLES THAT PRODUCED THE REAGAN LANDSLIDES. The Party again might appear to the voters to offer a clear choice from the Democrat Party, rather than an echo of it. HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN – YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU.

    ELECTION WINNERS MAKE THE RULES

    Go here to learn more:

    The Most Powerful Office in the World is NOT the President of the United States: http://www.eagleforum.org/misc/brochures/precinct-committman.shtml and http:theprecinctproject.wordpress.com

    United we stand, divided we fall. The left wants us to leave the GOP. The left wants to divide us. The left wants a weak, moderate GOP. And many weak, splintered Third Parties to siphon away votes from the GOP. The left wants us to be divided because that way they will defeat us at the ballot box.

    DO IT for the sake of your country: call the GOP and tell them you want to become a Precinct Committeeman. Find out more at the web sites on how to become a PC:

    AZ GOP: (602) 957-7770 www.azgop.org
    Maricopa County GOP: (623) 977-4532 www.maricopagop.org

    Or call me, XXX, at (XXX) XXX-XXX; I’ll help. If I don’t answer, leave your name and number. Thank you.

    <<<<<

    Until we fill up all of the vacant local precinct commmitteeman slots, we won't have a chance in hell of electing greater number of conservative Republicans to the House and Senate.

    In my county, in 2008, 31.8% of our allotted Republican PC slots were filled. Through aggressive recruiting of conservatives, we now have about 52% filled, and almost all of the new PCs are conservatives. They in turn elect conservatives to serve as state committeeman to elect the state officers. And in AZ, only elected PCs get to vote for the delegates to the Party's state presidential nominating convention.

    It matters.

    Thank you,
    CW

  • republitarian

    People are tired of having to hold their noses to vote for moderate nominees.

    A party whose policies are driven by politics and desire for power, rather than principle, is not something to be proud of. Whatever the GOP still stands for won’t count for much if it is complicit in the economic collapse of the country.

  • freemanja1991

    I’ve heard she is very pro labor, is that true? If she is that is not good at all, and a bar association darling?

  • purplewings

    These Fiscal Conservatives were holding onto Conservative ideals and Democrats don’t like it. I can understand their not liking it because it’s essential that Obama get his way 100% every time, as he calls for ‘compromise’ and never gives it, but Boehner is supposed to stand up for our ideals as well or we have become nothing & the Conservative party exists no longer. Principles, ethics, decency…..gone. Spending increased and borrowing from China to pay Egypt, Syria, all Muslim nations for hating us & trying to eliminate Israel and then America. Here we go again….up is now down, right is now wrong, dark is now light. We’d better fight or even if America survives, we won’t want to live in it.