The House on Tuesday took the uncommon step of publicly reprimanding one of its personal members — retiring Democratic Rep. Chuy García — for what some of his colleagues have described as an attempt to subvert the election of his successor in Congress.
What made it much more stunning: It was a fellow Democrat who triggered the vote.
Centrist Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington has infuriated fellow Democrats for her shock resolution final week to drive the House to take up the symbolic decision in opposition to García. The Illinois Democrat, first elected in 2018, is beneath assault for allegedly coordinating his personal retirement to make sure his hand-picked alternative would win his seat subsequent yr.
Garcia introduced his retirement shortly after his state’s submitting deadline on November 3 — after his chief of employees had declared her personal candidacy. That meant the staffer, Patty Garcia, was the one Democrat working in a main for a deep-blue Chicago seat he has held since 2019. She is now all however assured to win his seat subsequent yr.
Only 22 Democrats voted with Gluesenkamp Perez to reprimand Garcia, together with 213 Republicans. The transfer has enraged many House Democrats, who argue that their colleague, the average Democrat from Washington, is selecting to embarrass their social gathering at a time when it’s already sharply divided over ideological traces within the wake of this month’s shutdown battle.
House Minority Leader Jeffries and Democratic leaders had been blindsided by Gluesenkamp Perez’s move, which she introduced, with out informing management, the identical day the House voted to finish the shutdown.
Jeffries and his management workforce had sought to stifle the trouble, and whereas the Democratic chief didn’t formally whip his members, he and his management workforce made clear they didn’t assist it.
“If you are not going to run, you don’t choose your successor — no matter the work you have done beforehand,” Gluesenkamp Perez mentioned on the House flooring Monday night time, condemning Garcia’s actions.
The Illinois Democrat, nevertheless, has sharply disputed the allegations. His workplace has mentioned his abrupt resolution to retire got here after he obtained troubling well being information, alongside different household issues, comparable to his latest adoption of a grandchild after the dying of his daughter in 2023.
“At a moment like this, he hopes his colleagues, especially those who speak about family values, can show the same compassion and respect that any family would want during a health crisis,” Garcia’s workplace mentioned in an announcement.
House Democratic leaders issued a strongly worded assertion on Tuesday defending Garcia and condemning the “misguided” measure, after unsuccessfully making an attempt to kill the trouble earlier this week.
“[Garcia] is a good man who has always prioritized the people he represents, even while experiencing unthinkable family tragedy. We unequivocally oppose this misguided resolution and urge our colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus to reject it,” the assertion from Jeffries and his management workforce learn.
Asked Monday if he had considerations about Garcia’s actions, Jeffries argued that it was not a problem that was necessary to on a regular basis Americans.
“The American people are focused on the high cost of living in the United States of America. That’s what they’re focused on,” Jeffries mentioned, earlier than including: “I strongly support Congressman Garcia.”