John Boehner’s Office Wigs Out and Calls Harry Reid Completely Unhinged

Speaker of the House John Boehner’s office went into full freak out mode after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called out Republican obstruction for sending the wrong message to Putin and Russia.

Yesterday, on the Senate floor, Harry Reid blamed Republican obstruction for sending Putin the wrong message.

Video:

To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.

Reid said, “It’s impossible to know whether events would have unfolded differently if the United States had responded to Russian aggression with a strong, unified voice. When a few extremist Republicans blocked action on this robust bill reported with strong, bipartisan support by the Foreign Relations Committee, it sent a dangerous message to Russian leaders. I am pleased that, in the face of Republicans obstruction, President Obama moved forward with additional sanctions. The President is working closely with our European allies to impose the most effective sanctions possible. In light of such clear-cut Russian aggression against Ukraine, it’s difficult to believe Republicans blocked this package at all.”

Boehner’s spokesman Michael Steel replied, “The Senate Majority Leader sounds completely unhinged. The House has acted and is continuing to act, in a reasonable and responsible way to give the White House the tools it needs to hold President [Vladimir] Putin accountable.”

House Republicans are blocking the sanctions against Russia because they are trying to go back on a 2010 agreement that would move $63 billion from the IMF crisis fund to the general fund. Republicans and Democrats agree that this change would increase the IMF’s lending power to Ukraine, but some Republicans oppose any IMF reforms being included in the bill.

There is also the giant Koch sized elephant in the room. Many House Republicans are refusing to support the sanctions bill unless the IRS stops their crackdown on dark money groups. In other words, Republicans will help Putin unless the Koch brothers and other right wing billionaires are allowed to continue to give anonymously unlimited amounts of money to Republicans.

Reid’s position is totally logical. The IRS crackdown on dark money has nothing to do with the sanctions bill, so he is not going to be ransomed. House Republicans are literally willing to sell out their own country in order to protect the Koch brothers.

Boehner didn’t like being called out on the truth, so his office called Harry Reid unhinged. The real crazy people here are the House Republicans who are so beholden to the Koch brothers that they are willing to betray their own country in order to keep the shady money flowing.

If House Republicans have to choose between supporting their country or the Koch brothers, they are choosing the Kochs.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association