Five founding members of the House Freedom Caucus left Speaker John A. Boehner’s office after an hourlong meeting tight-lipped on what was discussed in relation to the continuing resolution and Planned Parenthood.  

Insisting they wouldn’t discuss the details of a “private meeting” to which they had been summoned by the Ohio Republican, the typically chatty members caught reporters off guard. Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., said he didn’t anticipate there would be a government shutdown on Oct. 1, but would not elaborate beyond that.  

Asked whether he still believed Boehner’s speakership could survive putting a “clean” continuing resolution on the floor sans Planned Parenthood defunding language, Salmon said he would let his “previous comments stand.”  

Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., told reporters he thought leadership would lose 50 Republican votes on a CR without the defunding provision.  

Other Republicans at the meeting were Freedom Caucus Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio; Reid Ribble, R-Wis.; and Raúl R. Labrador, R-Idaho.  

Shortly after that meeting wrapped, three of the House GOP’s most vocal opponents of abortion were seen going into Boehner’s suite: Reps. Diane Black of Tennessee, Trent Franks of Arizona and Christopher H. Smith of New Jersey.  

House Republicans are scheduled to meet as a full conference Friday morning at 9 a.m. to discuss next steps.  

Ryan McCrimmon contributed to this report. 

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