Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-WA, has managed to irritate half of her own party. A House vote was held Monday night in order to rebuke Rep. Chuy Garcia (DIL), for arranging for his chief-of-staff to be seated.
Gluesenkamp Perez blasts Garcia for “election subversion.” This accusation has infuriated Democrats, who claim she is torpedoing the party’s unity at a bad time.
Axios reported that a House Democrat complained to Axios about “people being extremely frustrated” last week when Gluesenkamp Perez pushed the vote at the same time as the House passed a bill funding the government most Democrats disliked.
Unsurprisingly, a senior Democrat jumped in to add Axios legislators are “very angry” that the controversy is causing new divisions just before a vote expected on the release of the Epstein documents.
Lawmakers said that the leadership plans to suppress her resolution by presenting a motion for table. In the two-page document, Garcia is criticized for withdrawing his bid for reelection just before Illinois’ deadline for filing, allowing his chief of Staff, Patty Garcia to be the only candidate for the Illinois primary.
Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries “strongly” supports Garcia. He dismissed Gluesenkamp Perez’s motion as a “so-called disapproval motion.”
The resolution states that “Representative Garcia’s actions are below the dignity of his position and incompatible to the spirit of United States Constitution”.
Garcia’s Illinois colleague Jan Schakowsky erupted into support of her longtime friend after Gluesenkamp Perez submitted the resolution.
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Garcia said he wanted to run for a second term but only backed out after his wife and doctor urged him not to compromise his family and health.
On Monday, his office sent out talking points in a hurry to co-workers. He claimed that he had “complied with all Illinois laws and requirements” and warned of the “distraction and division among Democrats” caused by this vote.
Not everyone has a similar view. Several moderates have told Axios that they may buck the leadership and support Gluesenkamp Perez if the vote on the procedure is held.
Rep. Jared Golden, D-ME, a close ally to Gluesenkamp Perez made clear his feelings, noting that he had announced his retirement several months ahead of the deadline in his state.
If I am going to do it, I need to hurry up so there’s time for others to decide to submit their names. “Every day I wait now is time taken away from somebody else,” said he.
