John Boehner Makes Stunning Announcement that He Will Retire from Congress in October!

Dear Commons Community,

The Associated Press is announcing that House Speaker John Boehner informed fellow Republicans this morning that he would resign from Congress at the end of October, stepping aside in the face of hardline conservative opposition that threatened an institutional crisis.

The 13-term Ohio Republican shocked his GOP caucus early Friday morning when he announced his decision in a closed-door session. It came one day after a high point of Boehner’s congressional career, a historic speech by Pope Francis to Congress at Boehner’s request.

A constant focus of conservatives’ complaints, Boehner was facing the threat of a floor vote on whether he could stay on as speaker, a formal challenge that hasn’t happened in over 100 years. That was being pushed by tea partyers convinced Boehner wasn’t fighting hard enough to strip Planned Parenthood of government funds, even though doing so risked a government shutdown next week.

Boehner “just does not want to become the issue,” said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla. “Some people have tried to make him the issue both in Congress and outside,” Mica said.

Some conservatives welcomed the announcement.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas said “it’s time for new leadership,” and Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky said the speaker “subverted our Republic.”

“I think it was inevitable,” Massie said. “This is a condition of his own making right here.”

But more mainstream Republicans said it would be a pyrrhic victory for the tea partyers.

“The honor of John Boehner this morning stands in stark contrast to the idiocy of those members who seek to continually divide us,” said Rep. David Jolly of Florida.

“The shutdown caucus as I call them has a small victory,” Jolly said.

This is huge news with major political ramifications!

Tony

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