The 13 House Republicans who voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill are getting GOP blowback, threats
There was a lot of Democratic drama leading up to the House passing a bipartisan infrastructure package and sending it to President Biden's desk on Friday night. Now the most public disarray is on the Republican side of the aisle. Former President Donald Trump and some of his closest House allies have gone after the 13 House Republicans who voted for the bill, and after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called them "traitors" and tweeted their phone numbers, the lawmakers started getting ugly calls.
Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) said Tuesday that his vote will help improve the "atrocious state of our infrastructure," but his office has received a "substantial amount of troubling phone calls" about his vote. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said he's received numerous death threats, and he shared one of them with CNN on Monday night. In the profanity-filled call, a man from South Carolina calls Upton a "traitor" and wishes death on him, his family, and his staff.
Trump talked about making an infrastructure deal so much during his term that "infrastructure week" became a running joke. But at a private event Monday night hosted by the House GOP campaign arm, he said the 13 Republicans who "voted for Biden's infrastructure plan" should be "ashamed of themselves" for "helping the Democrats," The Washington Post reports. His former aides and current allies have used harsher language and called for the 13 House members to be stripped of their committee assignments and voted out of office next year.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"House Republican leaders have done nothing to come to aid of the 13 who voted for the bill, remaining silent even as these members publicly disclose the harassment they have faced," the Post adds. Meanwhile, "Senate Republicans have largely avoided cannibalizing 19 of their colleagues who voted in favor of the bipartisan infrastructure bill in August." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he's "delighted" the bill is heading to Biden's desk.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has not publicly commented on the calls to punish his 13 caucus members who voted for the infrastructure deal. But one of the 13, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), said his silence is loud enough. "A party with leaders like Kevin McCarthy, that cannot stand up to the insanity from people like Greene, Gaetz, Gosar, etc, is going to have a hard time standing up to countries like China," he tweeted.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Grindr 'shared user HIV status' with ad firms, lawsuit claims
Speed Read LGBTQ dating app accused of breaching UK data protection laws in case filed at London's High Court
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
The best dog-friendly hotels around the UK
The Week Recommends Take a break with your four-legged friend in accommodation that offers you both a warm welcome
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Shopping trolleys: the new must-have accessory
Speed Read Sales are soaring as new designs help shed that old-fashioned image
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
Sitting in judgment on Trump
Opinion Who'd want to be on this jury?
By Susan Caskie Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
'A speaker courageous enough to stand up to the extremists in his own party'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
How could the Supreme Court's Fischer v. US case impact the other Jan 6. trials including Trump's?
Today's Big Question A former Pennsylvania cop might hold the key to a major upheaval in how the courts treat the Capitol riot — and its alleged instigator
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published