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John Boehner: Obama 'set everybody on fire' and caused racism in the Republican Party with 'speeches'
April 18, 2021
Former House Speaker (R-OH) on Sunday suggested that former President Barack Obama shared the blame for racist elements in the Republican Party.
During an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, host Chuck Todd noted that "white supremacist" ideas are "creeping" into the Boehner's.
"And it's matastized," Todd said, referring to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). "Now they're trying to start a caucus that's sort of based on these racist ideas."
"How did this happen? How did this get mainstreamed a bit in your party?" the NBC host asked Boehner.
"Well, Chuck, I have no idea how this even showed up," Boehner replied. "I wouldn't call it mainstreamed in our party. But I can tell you that this so-called America First Caucus is one of the nuttiest things I've every seen."
The former Speaker went on to claim that America "is a land of immigration" and called for Republicans to denounce the America First Caucus.
"I think it's awfully cruel," he explained. "And frankly, it has no place in the Republican Party.
Boehner then suggested that Obama was at fault because immigration reform was not passed while he was president.
"My second biggest regret during my time as Speaker is not being able to come to an agreement with President Obama on an immigration reform bill," he opined. "Our immigration system is a mess, it's broken, from top to bottom. And it needs to be fixed so that it's fairer for Americans that are here and fairer for those that are trying to come here."
"Was it him or was it conservative media?" Todd pushed back, observing that Boehner had been critical of Fox News's role in undermining his ability to pass bipartisan legislation.
"So you put the blame on President Obama," Todd pointed out. "Isn't it [former Fox News chief] Roger Ailes and the radicalization of what happened on sort of right-wing [television] at night that torpedoed immigration?"
"No," Bohener disagreed. "Believe me, Chuck, I wanted to get immigration reform done. President Obama wanted to get it done. But again, every time we'd get ready to move, the president would go out and give some speech or he'd losen up some immigration regulation and just kind of set everybody on fire. And that's not a perscription for getting things accomplished in the Congress."
Watch the video below from NBC.
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Matt Gaetz's father accused of calling in favors to keep Florida lawmakers silent about his son's scandals: report
April 18, 2021
In a deep dive into the influence the father of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has had on his son's political rise, a Florida political operative claimed that "Papa Gaetz" was using his considerable political influence to tamp down criticism of his embattled son.
According to Politico's Gary Fineout, it is no secret in Florida political circles that Sen. Don Gaetz -- known as "Papa Gaetz" -- has used his years lording over and wheeling and dealing in panhandle politics, as well as his substantial wealth, to guide his son -- referred to as "Baby Gaetz" -- into the public eye and Congress.
"Matt Gaetz's political trail was not just preceded but heavily influenced by his father, a Republican multi-millionaire businessman who had a reputation for rhetorical flourishes and drag-out political fights. Don Gaetz all but paved his son's way into Florida's political world, and some suggest that his father's stature and influence is even helping his son as he faces a probe into potential sex trafficking," Fineout wrote.
According to a former lawmaker colleague of the elder Gaetz, the father of the Republican House member has always been a force in the community.
"He was a force of nature," explained former state Senate President Joe Negron, with Fineout reporting, "And Don Gaetz found himself in plenty of battles — and still is today. Last year, he went after a former legislator who once fired his son and who was seeking local office. Don Gaetz clashed enough times with former Gov. Rick Scott — now a senator — that the GOP governor lined up opposition to Don Gaetz's bid to become president of the University of West Florida."
According to one Florida political insider, while Don Gaetz has kept mostly in the background -- for the time being -- as his son is investigated over sex trafficking accusations, he is working behind the scenes to assist his son.
"Don has a lot of power and friends in Florida politics," the political operative said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "There are a lot of people who owe him favors. They are repaying those favors by staying silent about his son."
Ray Sansom, a former northwest Florida legislator, added, "There's obviously people who respect Don. There's obviously people who feel like they have been hurt by him … Don's very rough. If he's against you, he's against you in a very rough way."
You can read more here.
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Maria Bartiromo and Stephen Miller panic over voting rights putting Democrats in charge 'forever'
April 18, 2021
Fox News host Maria Bartiromo and former Trump administration official Stephen Miller worried over the weekend that Democrats will be in charge "forever" if voting rights are expanded or protected.
During an interview on Bartiromo's Sunday morning program, the Fox News host accused social media platforms of inflicting "cancel culture" on conservative voices.
Miller argued that Republicans should pass laws protecting Chrisitians on social media as soon as the party regains control of government.
"Yeah, will Republicans have the chance?" Bartiromo agreed. "That's the whole point of H.R. 1, Nancy Pelosi wanting to put this bill through so that Democrats are in charge forever or certainly decades. Your thoughts on election integrity and that Democrat [sic] H.R. 1 bill."
"It's a real sign of the threat to the health of our democracy," Miller opined. "When democracy faces risk, when democracy is imperilled, what you see happening instead is the party in power tries to change the rules of the game structurally to stay in power."
Miller argued that the voting rights bill is "a very dangerous path to go down."
"H.R. 1 is saying, now that we're in power, let's fundamentally change the rules of how elections are conducted to stay in power," he continued.
"Unbelievable," Bartiromo gasped.
"That's a very scary thing," Miller said. "And so if you care about democracy, you should all say with one voice, no, it is the right of every state in this union to set their own election rules as desired by their own citizens to protect the security and integrity of their own elections. That's fundamental!"
"It's all quite extraordinary," Bartiromo lamented.
Watch the video below from Fox News.
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