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You always knew Lady Elaine Fairchilde would sow chaos on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” when she uttered the incantation “boomerang-toomerang-soomerang!”
Lady Elaine was the mischievous puppet on the show who bore a resemblance to Rod Stewart. She often waved around her boomerang if someone in the Neighborhood of Make Believe ticked her off, and she would literally flip the neighborhood upside down with her “boomerang-toomerang-soomerang!”
That’s where we stand with things these days on Capitol Hill.
The vote margins are really tight in both the House and Senate. Republican lawmakers are frustrated with the President over the war and the economy. That’s to say nothing of the now-abandoned $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Then there are lawmakers who the president helped unseat in their primaries: Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Bill Cassidy, R-La. And now President Trump is insisting on a primary challenge against Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., in 2028 over her support of Massie, and he didn’t back Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, who ended up losing his primary, too.
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We haven’t even gotten into various skirmishes between the president and retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., over the January 6th riot, or the investigation into former Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. And there are pockets of resistance within the party from Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine — with the latter facing a competitive re-election bid this November.
With all of that, there is a “disaffected caucus” of Republicans now serving on Capitol Hill.
In addition, some Senate Republicans are seething at the White House actively working against Cornyn and Cassidy. Some congressional Republicans on the ballot this fall are now trying to put some real estate between themselves and a president growing unpopular within his own party on Capitol Hill.
Senate Republicans are forging ahead to finally fund ICE and Border Patrol. Threats to attach language to curb the anti-weaponization fund derailed those efforts in late May. Republicans now believe they can keep everyone in line and pass that bill without lawmakers abandoning ship. Republicans may struggle to pass an additional measure focused on reducing the cost of living, cutting taxes, reducing gas prices, paying for the war in Iran or even funding the government this fall. Lawmakers have to approve a renewal of a controversial spy program known as FISA Section 702 before mid-month. But that’s grown more complicated after the president installed Bill Pulte — who has no background in national security — as interim director of national intelligence.
This is why some Republicans believe that the legislative process could be stymied.
These disgruntled Republicans could make things pretty hard for the GOP brass and President Trump for the rest of the year. And like Lady Elaine Fairchilde on Mr. Rogers’ show, any one of them could proclaim “boomerang-toomerang-soomerang” and turn the entire congressional neighborhood upside down.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., spoke with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday. The South Dakota Republican says Blanche was “very definitive” about the end of the compensation fund. Thune said he thought that it would help clear the way to pass the ICE/Border Patrol bill.
REPUBLICANS RECOIL AS TRUMP’S BILLION-DOLLAR DOJ ‘SLUSH FUND’ FOR ALLIES THREATENS ICE, BORDER PATROL PLAN
“I’m not guaranteeing that happens yet. We’re still continuing to have conversations with our members,” said Thune. “Everything comes down to a function of math. It’s ‘Do we have the votes? Do we have 50 votes to execute on getting a bill like that across the floor?’”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., met with President Trump on Monday and discussed the weaponization fund which threw Capitol Hill into a tizzy two weeks ago.
“I believe that it is off the table for consideration,” said Johnson about the fund.
The speaker communicated to the president how the fund made passage of an ICE/Border Patrol bill exponentially more challenging.
“I told them that it was a difficult prospect right now given our vote tallies,” said Johnson.
Blanche was declarative when testifying about the DOJ budget request before the House Appropriations Committee.
“We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” said Blanche.
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But Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., wasn’t convinced.
“Is there any way that you could put this in writing?” she asked Blanche. “I think they would love to be reassured that this fund will not progress.”
“I’m not trying to be flippant with you. I’m just saying. I’m telling you it’s not (moving forward),” replied Blanche.
Meng asked if she could have something on paper.
“There’ll be a transcript of what I say here so that will be in writing,” said Blanche.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wasn’t impressed by the announcement, either.
“Trump has not killed this slush fund. He has not revoked the special tax immunity he gave himself and his family. He has not ended the corruption. He hit a temporary roadblock. That’s it. Any toothless promise by Trump is worthless. His promises are worthless. The only way to end this scheme is abolish it by law,” said Schumer.
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At his hearing, Blanche reiterated that President Trump’s “settlement agreement” with the IRS over the leak of his tax returns remains intact.
This infuriated Democrats.
“You just gave the president’s family tax immunity to the tune of about $100 million,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the Appropriations panel.
And that’s where the GOP’s disgruntled caucus may come in.
Congressional Republican resistance to President Trump has grown in recent weeks. For instance, Cassidy cast the pivotal ballot allowing a procedural vote on an Iran war powers measure to forge ahead. This came after Cassidy lost his Senate primary to Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., and former Rep. John Fleming, R-La.
That said, lots of lawmakers rarely deviate from their customary political convictions – even if they’re on their way out the door. Over the years, I’ve had a number of people suggest to me that various members might be willing to vote for this or that in a lame-duck session after they either lost or are retiring. However, history shows they don’t change. Lawmakers usually remain loyal to their convictions and constituents – even as they exit. They don’t suddenly support something or oppose something – just because they are short-timers and their vote could help the party or their leadership.
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By the same token, lawmakers with one foot out the door don’t undergo a magical conversion if they’re angry at losing and vote one way or another for spite.
But rarely have we had a Congress where the votes in both bodies are so marginal. And even if it’s just a lawmaker or two who strays, it wouldn’t take much to pull a Lady Elaine Fairchilde, holler “boomerang-toomerang-soomerang” and turn Capitol Hill upside down.
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