Louie Gohmert, the Texas Republican who came up short in his bid to wrest the speaker’s gavel from John A. Boehner a day earlier, asked Wednesday if leadership staff has too much authority in running Congress.  

In an appearance on Fox News to talk about the aftermath of Tuesday’s failed revolt against Boehner, Gohmert criticized the removal of Reps. Daniel Webster and Rich Nugent, who voted against the speaker, from the Rules Committee in the 114th Congress. “We were going to work together after the battle was over, then we’re told it’s not over. We’re going to screw you over. And it’s one thing when you get hurt on your own exercise equipment, but it’s another when your own speaker does it to you,” the Texas Republican said.  

The outspoken Gohmert, who has been at odds with leadership frequently since arriving in the House in 2005, said he wasn’t worried about the speaker or his staff taking any punitive actions against him.  

“If I woke up some day and was told, ‘Well, you’re out, your party turned against you,’ … I would literally be able to say, ‘Thank you, God. I thought I was going to have to keep doing this job.'”  

He also questioned whether the decision to remove Webster and Nugent was made by Boehner.  

“We need to find out … was this from the speaker or was this from his speaker’s staff? I’ve had more than one of the speaker’s inner circle say, you know something I know we can work on together is getting the speaker back in control.”  

“It’s something [former Rep.] Dan Lungren had commented about when he was in Congress and then went to be attorney general of California, then came back. He said, ‘I couldn’t believe how much members lost control and leadership staff were running Congress.’ And that is something that needs to be worked on and changed.”  

Related:

GOP Leaders Boot Webster, Nugent Off Rules Committee (Updated)


Boehner and House GOP Regroup After Tumultuous Speaker Election


Weber, Backing Gohmert Over Boehner, Says ‘Retaliation’ Has Begun (Updated)


Third Candidate to Challenge Boehner for Speakership


GOP Insurgents Scramble for Anti-Boehner Votes


Five Legislative Hurdles for New House GOP


The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress


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