Conservatives who voted against advancing a “Fast Track” trade deal got a lecture from House Speaker John Boehner, who warned them that he endorses the punishment that has been handed down to some of them.
In a closed-door weekly Republican conference meeting Wednesday, the Ohio Republican told rank-and-file members that he supports a move to strip Rep. Mark Meadows of his Oversight subcommittee chairmanship.
Meadows, R-N.C., was among those conservatives who voted against the “rule” on a trade package that is a top priority for the GOP leadership. The rule governed how the bill would be considered on the House floor, and its passage was needed before members could get to the bill.
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, carried out the action against Meadows, removing him from his post as chairman of the Oversight subcommittee on government operations.
“I think the chairman made the right decision,” Boehner said after the meeting. “I made it clear to the members I supported that decision and I don’t think I need to say a whole lot more. But I’m sure the family conversation will continue.”
A group of conservative lawmakers belonging to the House Freedom Caucus met Tuesday night to discuss ways they can take on the leadership’s move to oust Meadows from his chairmanship.
“It is fair to say there is a lot of discussion surrounding the issue of Mark Meadows losing his subcommittee chairmanship,” Rep. Trent Franks, R-N.M., a member of the Freedom Caucus, told the Washington Examiner. “For Jason Chaffetz to have taken Mark’s subcommittee chairmanship away is incredibly unjust, unfair and a terrible mistake.”
Franks also voted against advancing the trade bill and lost his position as a deputy whip. Two other Republicans were also kicked off the whip team for voting with Franks.
Freedom Caucus Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the group met Tuesday night but he declined to say what was discussed.
“We had a long discussion,” Jordan said. “We had a good discussion. I’ll leave it at that.”
Meadows also declined to comment on the meeting.
Boehner signaled he has no plans ease up on lawmakers who stray on key votes. “We have a majority and when it comes to procedural votes in the House, the majority has to stick together and vote for … those procedural motions,” he said.
