Republican leaders in the House of Representatives split over the "fiscal cliff" deal that Congress passed on New Year's Day.
While House Speaker John Boehner supported the measure, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy voted against the legislation.
Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the GOP's former vice presidential nominee, backed the deal. According to BuzzFeed, Ryan was expected to cast a vote against the measure, but at the last minute changed his mind.
Cantor made no secret of his opposition to the bill passed by the Senate before the House on Tuesday night. Politico reports that the Virginia Republican's deputy chief of staff, Doug Heye, said that the House leader was "disappointed" with the measure approved by the upper congressional chamber. "That's why you saw him working all day to find an alternative with the leadership.
Read about it here.
Meanwhile:
New York Republican Rep. Peter King went to war with his Republican colleagues on Wednesday after leaders spiked a Hurricane Sandy relief bill, calling on New Yorkers to stop all donations to GOP House members.
“These Republicans have no problem finding New York when they’re out raising millions of dollars,” King said on Fox News. “They’re in New York all the time filling their pockets with money from New Yorkers. I’m saying right now, anyone from New York or New Jersey who contributes one penny to congressional Republicans is out of their minds. Because what they did last night was put a knife in the back of New Yorkers and New Jerseyans. It was an absolute disgrace.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/01/issa-sandy-bill-was-a-pork-fest-85668.html#ixzz2GpgvYxQ7
