This Friday, Kentucky Republican Congressman Thomas Massie attempted to delay the approval of a huge Coronavirus relief package that passed by unanimous consent in the Republican majority Senate just days prior. President Donald Trump publicly tore into Massie for his stunt, which ultimately failed when the entire rest of the House united to pass the legislation early Friday afternoon, but not before two Republican Congressmen actually publicly criticized the president for his treatment of Massie. Trump had even suggested that Massie should be kicked out of the Republican Party.
Voice vote. Thomas Massie was only no vote.
Massie says there is no quorum: “I came here to make sure our republic doesn’t die by a voice vote in an empty chamber”
But there are enough members present. The bill passes. House breaks into applause.
— Paul McLeod (@pdmcleod) March 27, 2020
Massie’s reasoning was that the huge legislation should not pass without an actual recorded vote. House leaders, in contrast, had been planning to have the legislation pass via unanimous consent in order to speed along the process, which the president has endorsed in a bid to get the economy moving again. But Texas Republican Chip Roy, who’s actually joined with Massie in similar relief package delay efforts before, tweeted that the president should “back off.” As he put it, in direct response to the president:
‘@RepThomasMassie is one of the most principled men in Congress & loves his country. He is defending the Constitution today by requiring a quorum. There’s nothing 3rd rate about that, @realDonaldTrump . I may miss vote if he forces roll call (flights) but it will pass. Back off.’
.@RepThomasMassie is one of the most principled men in Congress & loves his country. He is defending the Constitution today by requiring a quorum. There’s nothing 3rd rate about that, @realDonaldTrump. I may miss vote if he forces roll call (flights) but it will pass. Back off. https://t.co/ms8TM3rJp8
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) March 27, 2020
Fellow far-right member of Congress Paul Gosar of Arizona added a similar sentiment, writing on Twitter:
‘@realDonaldTrump Mr. President. @RepThomasMassie is a good man and a solid conservative. He believes in the Constitution strongly. We won’t always agree on strategy or policy. But he doesn’t warrant this dressing down. Thomas—Hang tough brother. #CoronavirusOutbreak’
@realDonaldTrump Mr. President. @RepThomasMassie is a good man and a solid conservative. He believes in the Constitution strongly. We won’t always agree on strategy or policy. But he doesn’t warrant this dressing down. Thomas—Hang tough brother. #CoronavirusOutbreak https://t.co/f0gydIQHTX
— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) March 27, 2020
Besides his procedural objection to the absence of a specified vote tally for the relief passage, Massie also complained about the supposed unfairly large government spending on behalf of big business. Still, if he was truly concerned about getting support to the everyday Americans who he was supposedly so concerned about, then he could have jumped onboard with the plan that was ready, which includes provisions like expanded unemployment insurance and even direct checks to some individual Americans.
Pete King sums up the sentiment of many lawmakers who are forced to come back, amid fears many expressed about contracting the virus and spreading it to their families. “Disgraceful,” he says. Thomas Massie is signaling he may request a recorded vote today https://t.co/3vrdRB6TFD
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 27, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to the Republican Congressmen who came to his defense…
