Members streaming out of a closed-door, House Republican conference meeting on Wednesday said it’s possible two unseated far-right members could be allowed to serve on the House Rules Committee after all.
Reps. Daniel Webster and Richard Nugent, both of Florida, were cut from the Rules panel roster on Tuesday, hours after they joined 22 other GOP lawmakers in voting against Boehner for a third term as House speaker.
The move to punish Webster and Nugent inflamed conservatives, who said it would spark a fight, or even a “mutiny,” among the far-right faction.
According to one GOP lawmaker, Boehner said the roster for the Rules panel has not been finalized and that the removal of Nugent and Webster may not be permanent.
Boehner also complained in the meeting that the attempted coup had sparked a barrage of phone calls to the Capitol this week from Tea Party supporters.
The Rules panel is considered an instrument of the House speaker and plays a key role in making changes to legislation and amendments before a bill is debated on the House floor.
Webster is one of three Republicans who ran against Boehner. A former speaker in the Florida state legislature, he received a dozen votes.
Boehner won with 216 votes, but Republicans viewed the dissension as an embarrassing act against the party, since the vote for speaker is televised and taken by both Republicans and Democrats. If enough GOP members defected, Boehner would have lost, leaving the party leadership in turmoil.
A GOP aide told the Washington Examiner the situation is fluid.
“At the moment they are not on the committee roster,” the aide said. “It’s the ‘speakers committee’ so it’s his call moving forward.”
