Well, this is an interesting, to say the least, exchange between President Donald Trump and Freedom Caucus member Rep. Thomas Massie (KY-4).
In an early morning tweet on Sunday, the president blamed the Freedom Caucus of keeping Planned Parenthood funded since the members wouldn’t support the AHCA:
Democrats are smiling in D.C. that the Freedom Caucus, with the help of Club For Growth and Heritage, have saved Planned Parenthood & Ocare!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 26, 2017
Rep. Massie fired back, asking if GOP leadership had told the president yet that the defunding of Planned Parenthood in the AHCA was really just a “1yr bait and switch”:
I take it GOP leadership still hasn't told Trump the PP provision was a 1yr bait and switch? See page 23 of CBO https://t.co/O9cGKQeqzb https://t.co/yKVPG1UvHe
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 26, 2017
From the CBO report:
Provision Affecting Planned Parenthood. For a one-year period following enactment,
the legislation would prevent federal funds from being made available to an entity
(including its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics) if it is:• A nonprofit organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the code;
• An essential community provider that is primarily engaged in providing family
planning and reproductive health services and related medical care;
• An entity that provides abortions—except in instances in which the pregnancy is the
result of an act of rape or incest or the woman’s life is in danger; and
• An entity that had expenditures under the Medicaid program that exceeded
$350 million in fiscal year 2014.
Massie had been sparring with the White House all week over the bill:
If Exec branch tells Legislative branch "when 2 vote" "how 2 vote" & "what it will b allowed 2 work on if vote fails," is that a republic?
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 24, 2017
And this one:
Sorry if I let you down. I'm changing my vote on #AHCA pic.twitter.com/JLUotqaO9L
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 22, 2017
Yeah, tax reform should go well.
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