Three Republican senators called on President Obama Monday night to fire White House adviser Ben Rhodes for his role in manipulating Congress to approve the Iran nuclear deal.
The letter from Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois, John Cornyn of Texas and John Barrasso of Wyoming argues that Rhodes’ “astonishing level of disrespect” for lawmakers must be dealt with.
“We call on you to dismiss Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes before he further tarnishes the Office of President,” the lawmakers wrote. “While members of the Executive and Legislative branches may sometimes deeply disagree on issues of vital importance to our nation’s security and prosperity, we should all agree, for the greater good of our Republic and the citizens whom we represent, to engage in our debates in a respectful, honest, and constructive manner.”
The senators bashed the deputy national security adviser for strategic communications for “creating an echo chamber” to influence senators during the Iran deal vote.
“Mr. Rhodes’s disrespectful, deceptive, and destructive conduct has fallen appallingly short of this standard, however,” they wrote. “Indeed, if he had conducted himself this way in a typical place of business outside Washington, where American taxpayers work, he surely would have been already fired or asked to resign.”
The senators said terminating Rhodes would send a message to Americans that the administration does not endorse the practices its advisor used to influence lawmakers.
The trio asked Obama how he plans to repair relations with Congress after this falling out.
“Do you agree with Mr. Rhodes’s contention that it is ‘impossible’ for elected U.S. lawmakers to engage in a ‘sober, reasoned public debate’ with your administration over Iran or other issues vital to America’s security and prosperity? What steps will your administration itself take to engage in rational discourse and repair damaged relations with the Congress?” the letter asked.
The letter came out one day before the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on Rhodes’ influence in selling the Iran deal.
The White House told the committee Monday afternoon that Rhodes will not attend the hearing, even though he was asked to testify.
20160516-Kirk Cornyn Barrasso Letter to POTUS on Ben Rhodes NYT by Daniel
