The House Freedom Caucus, composed mostly of more right-wing members of the Republican party, had reportedly made a pact to band together in the recent fight over health care.
The House Freedom Caucus, composed mostly of more right-wing members of the Republican party, had reportedly made a pact to band together in the recent fight over health care.
Based on interviews with numerous insiders, Politico described the pact as requiring that “No member would commit his vote before consulting with the entire group — not even if [President] Trump himself called to ask for an on-the-spot commitment.”
The site goes on to reveal that the plan, conceived by Ohio Representative Jim Jordan and agreed to by 28 of around 36 Freedom Caucus lawmakers, was put in place “to bind them together in negotiations and ensure the White House or House leaders could not peel them off one by one.”
Despite the efforts of President Trump and other Republicans to make concessions toward the group which was pushing for a repeal of many Obamacare features, the GOP ultimately failed in its attempt, causing the bill to collapse.
An unnamed official said to CNN, “It didn't matter what policy we made because they (the Freedom Caucus) didn't want a deal.”
Texas Representative Ted Poe echoed a similar sentiment when he announced his defection from the Freedom Caucus on Sunday, saying, “The goalposts kept getting moved. And no matter what, at the end of the day, 'no' was the answer.”
Trump has since criticized the group, tweeting over the weekend, “Democrats are smiling in D.C. that the Freedom Caucus, with the help of Club For Growth and Heritage, have saved Planned Parenthood & Ocare!”
