Ron Johnson’s reckless, out-of-touch record speaks for itself, but recently, Johnson decided to cast his lot with the House Freedom Caucus, otherwise known as the extremist faction that has thrown the Republican-controlled Congress into total chaos and revealed their inability to govern responsible. At a recent event, Johnson said of the group known for its “record of disruption,” are “patriots, they’re like me… I found them to be very reasonable people.”
Reasonable?!? So, what exactly does Ron Johnson find “very reasonable” about the House Freedom Caucus?
– Their effort to prioritize partisan political games over national security by driving the country to the brink of a Department of Homeland Security shutdown earlier this year?
– Their agenda of attacking women’s health and threatening to shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding?
– Does he support “taking the party hostage to its demands” in order to get what he wants, as the House Freedom Caucus has done while electing a new Speaker of the House?
“For once, Johnson has something right – he is just like the out-of-touch House Freedom Caucus,” said Sadie Weiner, DSCC Communications Director. “Wisconsin families deserve better than Ron Johnson’s reckless agenda that shows he is more interested in picking political fights and throwing temper tantrums than in working across the aisle to get the results Wisconsin deserves.”
BACKGROUND:
JOHNSON SAID THE FREEDOM CAUCUS WERE “PATRIOTS” AND “THEY’RE LIKE ME”
Johnson Praised The House Freedom Caucus, Said “They’re Patriots, They’re Like Me.” JOHNSON: “You know, from my standpoint I understand the frustration, I’ve got a lot of strategic planning sessions with members of the Freedom Caucus. They’re patriots, they’re like me, they’re concerned about the direction this country. They haven’t been involved in a lot of the decisions and a lot of the strategy that was pretty well imposed by, for example, Speaker Boehner. It’s why I think he lost support. Not that he was a bad person, not that he wasn’t conservative enough, he just didn’t have the leadership skills that are required trying to herd, you know, a couple hundred cats.” [WisPolitics Lunch Press, 10/9/15] (VIDEO)
Johnson On The Freedom Caucus: “They’re Like Me.” JOHNSON: “You know, from my standpoint I understand the frustration, I’ve got a lot of strategic planning sessions with members of the Freedom Caucus. They’re patriots, they’re like me, they’re concerned about the direction this country. [WisPolitics Lunch Press, 10/9/15] (VIDEO)
JOHNSON SAID THE FREEDOM CAUCUS WERE “VERY REASONABLE PEOPLE”
Johnson Said The Freedom Caucus Was Not Unrealistic And That He “Found Them To Be Very Reasonable People.”[00:02:05.24] REPORTER: “But you’re a realist, they seem pretty unrealistic.” JOHNSON: “They’re not. We’ve got a pretty broad spectrum. I think if involved in decisions, you know, people like Jim Jordan, Mick Mulvaney. I found them to be very reasonable people but they need to be involved in decisions. By the way, the way you lead if you lay out a plan, you solicit genuine input, and based on that genuine input you come to a consensus and if you do it that way then you also get genuine by in. That’s how you lead and it’s been a very top down structure, you know, the decision is made, it’s presented to the conference.” [WisPolitics Lunch Press, 10/9/15] (VIDEO)
THE HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A REBELLION WITH A RECORD OF DISRUPTION SINCE FORMING EARLIER THIS YEAR
The House Freedom Caucus Formed In January 2015 With Nine Members Who “Have Been Frequent Thorns In The Side Of GOP Leadership Over The Past Four Years.” “House GOP conservatives announced a new ‘Freedom Caucus’ on Monday to split from the Republican Study Committee (RSC) after complaints that it had become too cozy with leadership. The nine founding members of the group have been frequent thorns in the side of House GOP leadership over the past four years. Many of them voted against giving John Boehner (R-Ohio) another term as Speaker earlier this month.” [The Hill, 1/26/15]
Headline: The Freedom Caucus Is A Rebellion That Could Change The GOP’s Future [Time, 10/13/15]
Headline: The House Conservatives Who Want To Rule The World [CNN, 9/30/15]
· The Freedom Caucus Ousted Boehner And “Have The Potential To Make Or Break” Any Other Speaker Of The House. “The House Freedom Caucus — a group of roughly 40 conservatives — was a constant annoyance for Speaker John Boehner. They complained Boehner was ignoring the GOP base and constantly capitulating to President Barack Obama and Hill Democrats. One of their members even kick-started the series of events that prompted Boehner to abruptly quit the speakership. Life for the next speaker won’t be any easier. The conservative lawmakers have the potential to make or break the candidacy of California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy or any other would-be speaker. And they know it.” [CNN, 9/30/15]
· CNN: The Freedom Caucus Had “The Potential To Torpedo Government Funding Bills, A Measure To Raise The Debt Ceiling, Or Other Major Must-Do Items.” “Even if they don’t get everything they want from McCarthy now, as a voting bloc, they have the potential to torpedo government funding bills, a measure to raise the debt ceiling, or other major must-do items this fall. If McCarthy tries to use Democratic votes to pass bills — as Boehner had to do at times — he runs the risk of facing the same uprising that felled the Ohio Republican.” [CNN, 9/30/15]
Kathleen Parker: The Freedom Caucus “Came To Washington Not To Govern But To Fight” With “A Record Of Disruption And A Talent For Tantrums.” “The Republican Party’s ‘Freedom Caucus,’ which has several less-charitable nicknames on Capitol Hill, is the dog that caught the car. […] They came to Washington not to govern but to fight. But what does one make of a little boys’ club with nothing to show for themselves other than a record of disruption and a talent for tantrums? ’These are the guys who couldn’t get a prom date,’ one House member said to me privately. ‘They’d rather rape and pillage than do the hard work. They can’t get to first base much less hit a home run.’” [Washington Post, Op-Ed, 9/29/15]
Kathleen Parker Claimed A House Member Said The Freedom Caucus Would “Rather Rape And Pillage Than Do The Hard Work.” “The Republican Party’s ‘Freedom Caucus,’ which has several less-charitable nicknames on Capitol Hill, is the dog that caught the car. […] They came to Washington not to govern but to fight. But what does one make of a little boys’ club with nothing to show for themselves other than a record of disruption and a talent for tantrums? ’These are the guys who couldn’t get a prom date,’ one House member said to me privately. ‘They’d rather rape and pillage than do the hard work. They can’t get to first base much less hit a home run.’” [Washington Post, Op-Ed, 9/29/15]
FREEDOM CAUCUS RISKED A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN TO BLOCK THE PRESIDENT’S IMMIGRATION ORDERS
The Freedom Caucus Opposed A Bill To Fund The Department Of Homeland Security If It Did Not Block President Obama’s Executive Action On Immigration And Said A Clean Bill Would “Fail The American People.” “Members on Monday discussed the rules for the organization, which they still have not finalized. But the larger discussion was on the House-passed Department of Homeland Security funding bill currently before the Senate. ‘We spent two hours talking about what our response is going to be and what’s going to happen if the Senate fails to reach cloture,’ Labrador said Monday night. And what will that response be? ’Our position is going to be pretty simple,’ Labrador said. ‘We passed a bill and we need the Senate to act.’ That means not caving on a clean DHS funding bill — one that doesn’t block President Barack Obama’s executive action on immigration. Labrador said Tuesday morning he was open to a House and Senate conference on the bill. ‘Boehner and [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell told the American people before the November elections that we needed to fight ‘tooth and nail,’ that we needed to stop the president and his illegal, unconstitutional actions — and I think if they fail to do that as leaders, they’re going to fail the American people.’” [Roll Call, 2/4/15]
FREEDOM CAUCUS RISKED A GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN TO BLOCK FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD
The Freedom Caucus Said They Would Oppose Any Budget That Included Funding For Planned Parenthood. “The House Freedom Caucus on Thursday said its members will oppose any spending measure that continues funding for Planned Parenthood. […] ‘Given the appalling revelations surrounding Planned Parenthood, we cannot in good moral conscience vote to send taxpayer money to this organization while still fulfilling our duty to represent our constituents. We must therefore oppose any spending measure that contains funding for Planned Parenthood,’ the group said in an official statement.” [The Hill, 9/10/15]
FREEDOM CAUCUS OPPOSED REAUTHORIZING THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
The Freedom Caucus Opposed Reauthorizing The Export-Import Bank, Called It A “Bridge To Nowhere Of Corporate Welfare.” The House Freedom Caucus — a coalition of about 40 mostly Tea Party House Republicans — came out against the Export-Import Bank on Wednesday. ‘The Ex-Im Bank is the ‘bridge to nowhere’ of corporate welfare, and is a classic example of crony capitalism,’ the groups said in a statement.” [The Hill, 4/29/15]
FREEDOM CAUCUS “HAS TAKEN THE PARTY HOSTAGE TO ITS DEMANDS” FOR ELECTING A NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
The Freedom Caucus Declared “A Set Of Policy And Procedural Litmus Tests” For Any Speaker Of The House Candidate To Adhere To Or Else They Promised To Block Them. “The House Freedom Caucus– roughly three-dozen uncompromising House Republican conservatives– has derailed selection of a new speaker of the House. By declaring a set of policy and procedural litmus tests for any GOP colleague seeking the speakership, the HFC has taken the party hostage to its demands. Given a political system that requires factions to share power within and across institutions, the HFC tactic has flash frozen the House. If a candidate for the speakership commits to meeting the HFC demands, its members will release the hostage: it will provide the votes needed to elect a new GOP Speaker. But therein lies House Republicans’ dilemma: Paying ransom to the HFC (and keeping those commitments) will make the House ungovernable. Unless the Senate and White House were to concede to the HFC’s policy demands, the House GOP would force the government to shut down and to default on its debts.” [Washington Post, 10/12/15]
CNN: Freedom Caucus Members Wanted Slots On Top Committees, Assurances From Leaders They Will Get Input On Bills Before They Go To The Floor, And A Promise Republicans Will Follow Through On Pledges To Dismantle President Barack Obama’s Policies.” “Members are privately discussing a list of demands to make to McCarthy. Conservatives want slots on top committees, assurances from leaders they will get input on bills before they go to the floor, and a promise Republicans will follow through on pledges to dismantle President Barack Obama’s policies.” [CNN, 9/30/15]
