'Respect was shattered': MAGA Republican abruptly quits House Freedom caucus

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) announced Monday she is exiting the House Freedom Caucus after a dust-up with her GOP colleagues.

Luna is among the younger members of the House and was sworn into her second term this year after giving birth last year. During the pandemic, members were allowed to vote by proxy due to illness and travel challenges getting back to Washington. Luna wants to change the House rules to allow lawmakers who have just given birth the ability to vote by proxy.

Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman posted a copy of the letter from Luna to the caucus on Monday. The House Freedom Caucus served as a caucus for so-called tea party lawmakers.

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"I have constantly supported each of you, even in moments of disagreement, honoring the mutual respect that has guided our caucus," Luna wrote. "That respect, however, was shattered last week."

She said that the measure was a "family-centered proposal."

"Yet, a small group among us threatened the Speaker, vowing to halt floor proceedings indefinitely—regardless of the legislation at stake, including President Trump's agenda—unless he altered the rules to block my discharge petition," she revealed.

She called the maternity leave "pro-family" while shaming other lawmakers willing to hold up the Trump agenda.

"With a heavy heart, I am resigning from the Freedom Caucus," Luna continued. "I cannot remain part of a caucus where a select few operate outside its guidelines, misuse its name, broker backroom deals that undermine its core value and where the lines of compromise and transaction are blurred, disparage me to the press, and encourage misrepresentation of me to the American people."

She closed by accusing the members of turning a blind eye to corruption.

"Members will continue to use this tool, as I have, to represent their constituents or, in this case, make changes to encourage a younger voice in Washington, D.C. more representative of the American people. What does threaten our institution, however, is succumbing to the very corruption we pledged to uproot," she said.

The House Freedom Caucus served as a caucus for so-called tea party lawmakers beginning in 2015.

Read the full letter here.