House Freedom Caucus members have had some rough times lately. We recently heard leaked audio of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) criticizing several caucus members. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) has had a series of embarrassing blunders and missteps. And now Politico has published a lengthy article claiming that the House Freedom Caucus is suffering from an “identity crisis.”
One of the stories Politico cites as part of the alleged fractures in the caucus is a doozy, and it leads the article. Allegedly Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) nearly took a disagreement into a knockdown-dragout last month.
The Politico piece recounts a March meeting of the House Freedom Caucus where Boebert expressed her dismay that Greene appeared at an event with alt-right figure Nick Fuentes just before CPAC in February.
“Their confrontation grew so heated that at least one onlooker feared the Greene-Boebert back-and-forth might escalate beyond the verbal cage match had another board member not stepped in to de-escalate, according to a GOP lawmaker who was granted anonymity to describe what happened,” the report reads. “The incident was confirmed by three people connected to the Freedom Caucus, whose members largely avoided public criticism of Greene and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) at the time and focused their discontent on the event organizer, Nick Fuentes.”
Many people outside the caucus lump Greene and Boebert together because they both have reputations as populist conservatives who rock the boat. Greene is fighting for her place on the GOP primary ballot in her Northwest Georgia district (although I’m one of many Georgia conservatives who hope she’ll lose the primary), while Boebert has famously clashed with Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).
You might also remember the two legislators standing up and shouting “Build the Wall” during Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in early March.
“When both leapt to their feet during President Joe Biden’s State of the Union this year to chant for a border wall — one day after their board-meeting clash — a viral photo captured Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) sitting between them, looking uncomfortable with the display,” reminds Politico. “Another Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), later posted a video that juxtaposed photos of Donalds with lyrics from a famous Stealers Wheel song: “Clowns to the left of me / jokers to the right / here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”
TGIF…#SOTU pic.twitter.com/Ogqdy8Xlpo
— Rep. Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) March 4, 2022
Republicans definitely have a sense of humor, even when poking fun at each other.
Related: The Hits Keep Coming for Madison Cawthorn
But clearly, there’s a difference between the two congresswomen.
“Privately, Republicans say Boebert (R-Colo.) — who’s seen as more of a party team player than Greene — detests being tied to her Georgia colleague,” reports Politico.
And Boebert has problems with conservatives associating with figures like Fuentes. It’s easy to see why.
“Greene drew backlash from some members of the Republican Party for attending the America First Political Action Conference in February because Fuentes, 23, is accused of being a white nationalist by multiple groups,” reports the Washington Examiner. “At the event, he appeared to praise Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has also denied the Holocaust and expressed admiration for the Taliban’s harsh treatment of women.”
Yeah. He said those things. And Greene stood by his side.
I agree with Boebert on principle, but if I were her, I wouldn’t want to come to blows with Marjorie Taylor Greene. Those Georgia girls can scrap!
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