'Idiot' GOP rebels should face 'immediate' punishment for Johnson stunt: NY Republican

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) on Thursday hammered away at fellow Republicans who went along with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's (R-GA) efforts to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) this week.

During a CNN interview, Lawler said he was fed up with Republicans whose sole goal seems to be causing chaos within the conference, and he called on leadership to do something to punish members who supported this week's motion to vacate the speaker's chair.

"By doing stunts like this, all it does is slow down our ability to do the work we were elected to do," said Lawler. "I think Chip Roy and Thomas Massie both serve on the Rules Committee. They should be immediately removed from that committee. You're not entitled to that committee. You're not there to represent yourself."

Lawler then emphasized that he's consistently said that "there need to be consequences" and that failing to impose them would simply "allow this nonsense to continue."

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Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) put hardliners Roy and Massie on the Rules Committee as a bid to win support from the House Freedom Caucus, and both have routinely been a thorn in Johnson's side in his efforts to avoid government shutdowns that he believes would be politically damaging to Republicans' political prospects.

Lawler also laughed off a warning given by Massie on Wednesday about having to face the wrath of Republican voters for choosing to keep Johnson as speaker.

"Frankly, my voters appreciate the fact that I offer a voice of sanity in a sea of chaos," he said. "So my voters are not going to be upset with my vote. In fact, my voters think these two are idiots."

Watch the video below or at this link.

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