Michigan legislative action thread
Posted on 12/11/2014 10:58:19 AM PST by maggief
The cromnibus had an unlikely savior Thursday afternoon in the form of a lame-duck lawmaker who used to raise reindeer.
Rep. Kerry Bentivolio (R-Mich.), who lost his primary earlier this year, was originally among the conservative Republicans who voted against the rule.
Without the help of Democrats, Republicans could only lose 17 of their own to pass the rule, which sets up floor debate for the underlying "cromnibus" spending bill. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) intervened once there were 18 Republican defectors — and not a single Democrat voting "yes." Many Democrats will vote against the government spending measure because they don't like provisions in it regarding campaign finance and changes to the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul.
Boehner lobbied conservatives who voted against the bill in the center of the House floor, including Bentivolio and Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), who also switched his vote.
After a brief conversation with Boehner, Bentivolio then walked over to a voting machine and switched his vote. No other lawmakers appeared to try to persuade him to do otherwise.
The Speaker also tried lobbying other defectors like Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), but didn't change their minds.
Ultimately, 16 Republicans voted against the rule and it passed on a squeaker vote of 214-212.
The 16 Republican defectors were Reps. Justin Amash (Mich.), Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Dave Brat (Va.), Mo Brooks (Ala.), Paul Broun (Ga.), Louie Gohmert (Texas), Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Tim Huelskamp (Kan.), Walter Jones (N.C.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Steve King (Iowa), Raúl Labrador (Idaho), Thomas Massie (Ky.), Bill Posey (Fla.), Matt Salmon (Ariz.) and Steve Stockman (Texas).
The underlying bill is more likely to pass later Thursday afternoon because Democrats who opposed the rule have said they will vote for the cromnibus to avoid a government shutdown at midnight.
high payed speaking engagements or a nice cushy consulting job no doubt
Got me it is confusing. I just posted his excuse.
But I hear Boner is delaying the vote because he may not have enough.
My representative, John Fleming, is not listed as a defector.
So I called his office and was told he was against the bill and had also voted no, and that his absence from the list was a mistake. I will keep checking; he is supposed to be a tea party conservative.
202-224-3121
Well... I guess ok?
...Still don’t make no sense.
If they get amnesty in it is all over.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/11/michigan-rep-christmas-congress/20251645/
In an interview, Bentivolio said he will vote against the budget deal because it doesn’t block President Barack Obama’s executive action allowing up to 5 million illegal immigrants to work in the United States and remain here.
He said he had cast a protest vote against the rule but changed his mind “because I didn’t want to give Nancy Pelosi the floor.” He said he looked up at vote tally “and I said ‘holy cow,’ it really is 212-212. I can’t give the victory to Nancy Pelosi,” the House Democratic leader.
Bentiovolio added that “I know I don’t want to shut the government down.”
He said Republicans always vote in favor of the rule.
“I didn’t really agree with it, but I want to have an opportunity to vote against the ($1 trillion spending bill),” Bentivolio said, adding that the spending bill has many good provisions but said he couldn’t support it for not blocking what he called Obama’s “amnesty action.”
He also complained that he has lost his office — a fate suffered by other departing members of Congress — and his staff is working out of a cafeteria. Bentivolio says he “doesn’t like voting on a 1,600-page bill that I really haven’t had an opportunity to read.”
Asked what he plans to do next, Bentivolio said: “I plan to follow in the footsteps of Jesus: broke and homeless” — referring cryptically to his finances.
SHUT IT DOWN!!
Look at #8 and #11.
Look at #8 and #11.
Dear Mark Levin:
Please add a ban on Lame Duck Sessions to the agenda for your Article V Convention.
And also allowing a state to secede if 2/3 of its voters vote for it.
Wait till you see his replacement.
The guy can’t wait to vote for Amnesty.
Bentivolio’s replacement is a sure fire pro amnesty vote.
He was the only one to point out Gruber’s co-conspirators the other day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jK8-wEvct8
The guy was probably one of the most solid tea partiers in congress despite what the Hill and a few RINO groin leeches will tell you.
I have no idea, is this good or bad?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.