US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner plunged Congress into deeper turmoil on Friday, abruptly announcing his resignation and shutting down a conservative Tea Party drive to depose the nation’s highest-ranking Republican, but opening up fresh troubles for the party.
The 13-term Ohio lawmaker, second in line to the presidency, shocked his rank-and-file when he told them of his plans in an emotional closed-door meeting. He said he would step down from the speaker’s job he has held for nearly five years, and from Congress, at the end of next month.
One important result: A government shutdown threatened for next week is all but sure to be averted — but only for now. A new December deadline and a potentially market-rattling fight over the government’s borrowing limit still lie ahead.
Photo: Reuters
Boehner’s announcement came one day after a high point of his congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to a joint session of Congress at the speaker’s request.
It also came before what would have been a new low: a potential floor vote to oust him as speaker, pushed by conservative, anti-tax Tea Partyers convinced he was capitulating in a struggle over funding of Planned Parenthood that threatened a government shutdown as of Thursday. Such a formal challenge against a speaker has not been used in the House for over 100 years.
On Friday, an upbeat Boehner declared that he had decided to spare the House, and himself, the chaos such a vote would bring.
“It’s become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution,” he said.
Even as he announced his plans to leave, Boehner told lawmakers they could expect to vote next week on legislation to fund the government through Dec. 11 with Planned Parenthood funding intact, a bill likely to pass with Democratic help, notwithstanding conservative complaints.
So no shutdown for now.
However, Boehner will leave behind a stack of other problems, including the new December funding deadline, a crucial highway bill, and the annual battle over the federal borrowing limit.
And it is not clear that the next speaker will have any easier time taming the unruly Tea Party lawmakers who forced Boehner out despite the largest Republican majority in 84 years, or making the deals with the White House and Senate Republicans that Boehner habitually cut to keep the gears of government running.
Although a disorderly leadership race is certain for some of the top jobs, the likeliest contender to replace Boehner is his current No. 2, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, whom Boehner endorsed on Friday, saying he “would make an excellent speaker.”
After Boehner’s announcement, US President Barack Obama praised him as “a good man” and a patriot.
“Maybe most importantly, he’s somebody who understands that in government and governance, you don’t get 100 percent of what you want,” Obama said. “We can have significant differences on issues but that doesn’t mean you shut down the government.”
However, the news of Boehner’s resignation brought hundreds of religious conservatives to their feet to cheer — and one after another, much of the Republican Party’s presidential class joined in their rejoicing.
Emboldened Tea Party leaders across the nation celebrated.
“If we are splintered, a moderate establishment candidate runs up the middle with 23 percent of the vote, steals the nomination and then loses to [Democratic presidential front-runner] Hillary [Rodham] Clinton in the general election,” said Senator Ted Cruz, a presidential hopeful. “We have a simple task before us. If conservatives unite, we win.”
Cruz, among his party’s leading agitators on Capitol Hill, said the political establishment in Washington “wants conservatives splintered.”
He led the celebration of Boehner’s departure at the Value Voters forum by lashing out at congressional Republicans for not fighting hard enough for conservative priorities.
Billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump called Republican congressional leaders like Boehner “babies.”
“We are so disappointed with the Republican establishment,” Trump said, adding that while some people may like Boehner personally, “we want people who are going to get it done.”
Pam Anderson, a marina manager who traveled to the Value Voters conference from Panama City, Florida, said it was time for new leadership in Congress.
“They really haven’t stayed true to conservative values,” she said.
She offered a message directly to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: “If he wants to do what’s right for this country, he’ll step down, too.”
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