What goes around comes around. Karma from House Speaker McCarthy’s Corrupt Bargain came to wreak havoc on the House Republican caucus this week. The Justice Department released an indictment from last year that showed the witness House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer claimed was missing, but “very credible” is accused of being an unregistered foreign agent for China, an international arms trafficker who violated U.S. sanctions on Iran, and lying to investigators. Then, Comer said he still wants to talk to the alleged criminal, leading House Oversight Democrats to question Comer about whether the witness’ motivations were more nefarious and if he and Republicans had been “manipulated” by a “con man” and “fugitive from justice.”
Karma struck again in the form of lunchroom drama at the House Freedom Caucus. According to CNN, there are cliques forming within the Caucus with a small group of “rebellious lawmakers” holding secret side sessions and private discussions more frequently. One member even said the Caucus is not what it used to be. It wasn’t initially clear if Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had been officially kicked out of the group, but Rep. Ken Buck confirmed it and said she should not be a member of the group in the future. *Gasp* Greene for her part insisted no one had officially told her she’d been kicked out, but other members said it was because she was dodging the chairman’s calls. The Corrupt Bargain has certainly given Greene more power though. After the Caucus told her she couldn’t sit with them anymore, House Speaker McCarthy and Rep. Jim Jordan (Freedom Caucus founder) came to her defense.
Speaking of Jim Jordan, the other night on Fox News he blamed an earpiece for the fact that he can’t seem to keep his own conspiracy theories straight anymore. Maybe he wasn’t paying attention, maybe the Matrix glitched, or maybe it’s because karma knows he’s peddling garbage. Whatever it was we can always count on these House Republicans to make a mockery of the offices they hold.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer Insists Alleged Arms Trafficker Is “Very Credible” – No Really
Washington Post: “Republicans say they would like to call witness despite criminal indictment”
Huffington Post: “Mystery GOP Whistleblower Accused Of Being Unregistered Foreign Agent, Arms Dealer”
Daily Beast: “GOP’s ‘Missing’ Biden Probe Witness Faces Laundry List of Federal Charges”
- The Justice Department Accused House Republicans’ “Missing” Witness Who Skipped Bail Of Being An Unregistered Foreign Agent For China, An International Arms Trafficker While Violating U.S. Sanctions On Iran, And Lying To Investigators. “The ‘missing’ witness long-touted by Republicans in Congress as the missing link to their probe into alleged Biden family corruption was accused of being an unregistered foreign agent for China and an international arms trafficker while violating U.S. sanctions on Iran and lying to investigators, among a laundry list of other federal charges unsealed Monday. Dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Gal Luft was originally charged on Nov. 1, 2022 and arrested in February, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. Luft had already skipped out on his bail while in Cyprus awaiting extradition to the U.S. for the case in March—though he alleges that the sprawling case against him represents political persecution and retaliation by the Biden administration against a potential witness.” [Daily Beast, 7/10/23]
MSNBC: “James Comer’s missing ‘informant’ isn’t doing the GOP any favors”
NBC News: “GOP House ‘informant’ indicted on allegations he was an agent for China”
Daily Beast: “Maria Bartiromo Seems Really Confused by Her Own Conspiracy Theory”
Axios: “Democrats demand GOP investigate its own indicted whistleblower”
The Independent: “Democrats call for probe into whether ‘whistleblower’ Gal Luft made claims about Biden to help China”
- House Oversight Committee Democrats Sent A Letter To Chair James Comer Asking If The Witness They Touted Who Has Been Accused Of Being A Foreign Agent Was Acting To Further Chinese State Interests With His Allegations Against President Biden. “Top Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are asking Chairman James Comer to look into whether the accused foreign agent who claims to be a ‘whistleblower’ against President Joe Biden and his son was acting to further Chinese interests when he accused the Bidens of crimes.” [The Independent, 7/12/23]
- House Oversight Committee Democrats Expressed “Concern” That Republicans Had Been “Manipulated” By Gal Luft Who Democrats Called “An Apparent Con Man Who, While A Fugitive From Justice, Attempted To Fortify His Defense By Laundering Unfounded And Potentially False Allegations Through Congress.” “In a letter to Mr Comer, Ranking Member Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Representative Daniel Goldman of New York expressed ‘concern’ that the Oversight Committee ‘has been manipulated’ by alleged arms dealer Gal Luft, who they described as ‘an apparent con man who, while a fugitive from justice, attempted to fortify his defense by laundering unfounded and potentially false allegations through Congress.’” [The Independent, 7/12/23]
Huffington Post: “Jamie Raskin Rips Republicans For Hyping ‘Con Man’ Gal Luft”
Salon: “Hunter Biden “whistleblower” exposed as a fugitive and accused spy — but MAGA won’t budge”
Raw Story: “’Manipulated by an apparent con man’: House Oversight Dems roast James Comer in scathing letter”
RUDY GIULIANI ALSO KEEPS POPPING JAMES COMER’S CONSPIRACY BUBBLE
Huffington Post: “Inside The Hunter Biden Doom Loop”
- Huffington Post: “The Bribery Allegation Against Biden That Republicans Are Now Investigating Is Essentially The Same Thing President Donald Trump Pushed Against The Democrat Four Years Ago, Leading To Trump’s First Impeachment.” “Giuliani’s comments reveal something the GOP is trying to keep hidden and something the average voter ― confused by an array of unfamiliar names, obscure officials and incremental advancements ― might miss: The bribery allegation against Biden that Republicans are now investigating is essentially the same thing President Donald Trump pushed against the Democrat four years ago, leading to Trump’s first impeachment.” [Huffington Post, 7/11/23]
- James Comer Insisted His Unproven Bribery Allegation Was Ruby Giuliani Leftovers, But Giuliani Went On TV And Contradicted Comer. “Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) does not like it when people suggest his big, wholly unproven allegation against President Joe Biden ― that the president received a $5 million bribe ― is just Rudy Giuliani’s leftovers, slightly warmed up in the microwave. Back in May, when Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the top Democrat on Comer’s committee, suggested Comer was simply ‘recycling’ allegations on Biden previously turned up by Giuliani, Comer offered some unfriendly advice for Raskin. […] The problem? Giuliani himself keeps going on television and blabbing about how good the meal was the first time around. ‘If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t know about Joe Biden. I put out the original allegations of criminality in 2018,’ Giuliani said Saturday on Newsmax TV. ‘If there was no Rudy Giuliani… there might not be this kind of problem for Joe.’” [Huffington Post, 7/11/23]
- Rudy Giuliani: “That Document Was Discovered Because It Was At Least One FBI Agent That Went Out And Tried To Corroborate What I Gave Them.” “Comer has said Raskin is lying, but the ever-helpful Giuliani offered some clarity during one of his many Newsmax TV interviews last month: ‘That document was discovered because it was at least one FBI agent that went out and tried to corroborate what I gave them,’ Giuliani said. Some of the material Giuliani fished out of Ukraine backfired on the former mayor. Parnas sent a series of written questions to Zlochevsky about his contacts with Biden, but Zlochevsky responded that he’d had none. A transcript of the interview became public only after Raskin released it last month.” [Huffington Post, 7/11/23]
You Can’t Sit With Us! #MarjInCharge Dodges Calls From House Freedom Caucus Chair About Her Expulsion From The Lunch Table
CNN: “‘Not what it was’: House Freedom Caucus wrestles with its future amid split over tactics and Trump”
- CNN Reported That Secret Side Sessions And Private Discussions Have Become More Frequent Among A Small Group Of Discontented House Freedom Caucus Members. “When a band of House Freedom Caucus members met last month to strategize over how to hold GOP leadership accountable for the bipartisan debt ceiling deal, not everyone from the far-right group was invited. Around a half dozen hardliners opted to hold a secret strategy session, where they hashed out a game plan to tank a key procedural vote in retaliation for their demands being ignored in the debt limit fight, according to a source involved in the effort. Normally, this type of plotting would have played out in one of the weekly Freedom Caucus meetings. But side sessions and private discussions among a small bloc of rebellious lawmakers have become more common and even necessary, some members say, after months of internal disagreements over tactics, policies and allegiances to their party’s leadership have fomented distrust within the group’s ranks.” [CNN, 7/10/23]
- One Republican Lawmaker Said People Were Not Comfortable Talking In House Freedom Caucus Meetings Because Of Members Like Marjorie Taylor Greene And “The Freedom Caucus Is Not What It Was When Boehner Was In Office.” “‘People don’t feel comfortable talking in Freedom Caucus meetings because of Marjorie and others, so the group has sort of broken up,’ one GOP lawmaker told CNN, who worried Greene would reveal their floor tactics to McCarthy ahead of time. The ‘Freedom Caucus is not what it was when (former Republican House Speaker John) Boehner was in office,’ the lawmaker said.” [CNN, 7/10/23]
- House Freedom Caucus Member Rep. Bob Good Reportedly Called Rep. Jim Jordan A RINO Behind His Back. “But, tension toward the powerful Judiciary Committee chairman, who would oversee any impeachment inquiry House Republicans pursue, have been slowly building: GOP Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, who serves in the Freedom Caucus, has called Jordan a RINO – ‘Republican in Name Only’ – behind his back, according to sources. A spokesperson for Good denied it.” [CNN, 7/10/23]
The Hill: “Greene’s Freedom Caucus ousting underscores GOP-conservative tensions”
Politico: “Marjorie Taylor Greene says Freedom Caucus hasn’t told her whether she’s out”
NBC News: “Marjorie Taylor Greene officially ‘kicked out’ of Freedom Caucus, GOP lawmaker says”
- House Freedom Caucus Member Rep. Ken Buck On Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: “She’s Not A Member Of The Freedom Caucus, And She Shouldn’t Be In The Future.” “A member of the House Freedom Caucus confirmed Wednesday that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been removed from the conservative group, citing her repeated ‘attacks’ on GOP colleagues. ‘She’s not a member of the Freedom Caucus, and she shouldn’t be in the future,’ Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., said in an appearance on NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press NOW’ in some of the most definitive comments yet about Greene’s status in the group.” [NBC News, 7/12/23]
- Marjorie Taylor Greene Insisted No One Had Officially Informed Her She Had Been Kicked Out Of The House Freedom Caucus, But Some Freedom Caucus Members Suggested Greene Had Been Avoiding The Chair’s Attempts To Contact Her. “But for the past two weeks, there was confusion about her status after Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., declined to comment about the matter and Greene insisted that no one had informed her that she had been voted out. Some Freedom Caucus members suggested that Greene has been avoiding Perry’s attempts to reach her to deliver the news. By Wednesday, Perry and Greene still had not personally spoken about the issue, even though they would have been on the House floor together during votes. ‘No, I haven’t talked with him about any of that,’ Greene said. ‘I’m mostly focused on the work I’m doing and serving my district, not interested in any drama.’” [NBC News, 7/12/23]
CNN: “Marjorie Taylor Greene downplays House Freedom Caucus vote to eject her”
- House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Defended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene After She Was Reportedly Kicked Out Of The House Freedom Caucus And Said It Was Their “Loss.” “House Speaker Kevin McCarthy – who worked to bring Greene into the fold, which is part of the reason for her Freedom Caucus ouster – offered praise for the congresswoman, calling her ‘one of the most conservative members’ and ‘one of the hardest working members.’ McCarthy called it a ‘loss’ for the Freedom Caucus that they decided to boot her. ‘I don’t know why they would do something like that from any perspective,’ he told reporters. ‘I will tell you this – Marjorie Taylor Greene is a very good member, works hard, represents her district night and day. She is always here fighting for the process where it may. I think it’s a loss for the Freedom Caucus.’” [CNN, 7/11/23]
- Jim Jordan Said He Supported Keeping Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene In The House Freedom Caucus And Called Her A “Fine Member” Who “Does A Great Job.” “Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a Freedom Caucus co-founder, echoed a similar sentiment, telling CNN: ‘I was for keeping Marjorie.’ Jordan praised the Georgia Republican as a ‘fine member’ who ‘fights hard for her constituents’ and ‘does a great job,’ but declined to get into any internal Freedom Caucus dynamics.” [CNN, 7/11/23]
Axios: “McCarthy defends Marjorie Taylor Greene amid Freedom Caucus drama”
Axios: “Greene basks in “free agent” status as McCarthy hosts fundraiser for her”
House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan Blames Earpiece For Not Being Able To Keep His Own Conspiracy Theories Straight
MSNBC: “Will Jim Jordan examine real evidence of government ‘weaponization’?”
Daily Beast: “Jim Jordan Blames Earpiece for Incomprehensible Fox News Interview”
Huffington Post: “Rep. Jim Jordan Stammers And Babbles During Awkward Fox News Interview”
Newsweek: “Jim Jordan Goes ‘Blank’ During Fox News Interview”
The Nation: “Jim Jordan Brings Online Conspiracy Theories to Congress”