House Republican Says He Was Tricked By Boehner Into Voting For Government Funding Bill

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Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) is claiming that he was tricked by John Boehner and Republican House leadership into voting for the rule that allowed the government funding bill to move forward.
Stutzman’s statement matters because the rule passed by single vote, 214-212.

Rep. Stutzman said, “The CROmnibus bill, over 1,600 pages long, does many things but what is most important is what it does not do. It fails to directly address President Obama’s dangerous executive action on immigration and fails to include many of the solutions that could have been passed in January with a Republican House and Senate in an open process. Earlier today, I supported the Rule because I was informed by Leadership that the CROmnibus was dead and a short term CR would take its place. I was very surprised and even more disappointed to see the CROmnibus back on the floor. The American people deserve better.”

Stutzman could be a Republican looking for cover due to the fact that conservatives are outraged by the funding bill, but logic suggests that the sudden passage of a bill that looked all but dead involved some promises, wheeling and dealing, and more than a slight dash of deception. Boehner and the House leadership have struggled so mightily to pass their own legislation that it is not a stretch to believe that they avoided a government shutdown by lying to their own members.

The media are focused on the supposed rift between Obama and Pelosi on this bill, but the big takeaway from the white knuckle ride to near catastrophe in the House is that things have not changed at all. John Boehner still can’t pass legislation without an epic fight. If this doesn’t change in January, Republicans are in for a very difficult two years as the majority party in Congress.

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