South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy rejected the White House’s contention that President Obama’s willing to cooperate with congressional Republicans, claiming that “he doesn’t have an interest in working with us.”
Gowdy spoke with Fox News’ Greta van Susteren about Obama’s promise to use the powers of his office to unilaterally shape government policy. Following the president’s remarks last week suggesting he would work around any congressional opposition through executive orders — a move some Republicans view as unconstitutional — White House press secretary Jay Carney assured reporters that President Obama sincerely wishes to work with House Republicans on issues of mutual agreement.
Gowdy called Carney’s bluff. “Jay Carney can’t cite a single solitary example where this administration has wanted to work in good faith with House Republicans,” he said. “Now, from 2008 to 2010 they didn’t have to deal with us. They had all the gears of government and they gave us Obamacare. When the president has the cards, he calls the bet. When he doesn’t have the cards, he blames Bush, tsunamis, hurricanes, Fox News, racial animus, everyone but himself.”
“And now, because he wants to retake the House and keep the Senate, it’s probably popular to blame House Republicans,” he continued. “I might do the same thing if I were in his shoes — the other alternative is just to accept responsibility for the last five years.”
The Tea Party favorite noted that there are large areas of agreement between the majority of Republicans and the Obama administration. “On immigration, on mandatory minimum sentences, there are areas — mental health with respect to access to firearms — there are areas where we are happy to work with him.”
But the lawmaker claimed that politics, not policy, is what truly drives the president. “Honestly, he doesn’t have an interest in working with us,” he alleged. “He wants to work with Speaker Pelosi, not Speaker Boehner, and that requires them to win in November and to us lose. And that’s what all of this is about . . . There is a level of distrust, in part because we do believe his overarching goal is for John Boehner to be the minority leader.”
“People are losing hope,” Gowdy said, “and he’s going to lose in November unless he can find a scapegoat. And he’s tried natural disasters and he’s tried Fox News and he’s tried everything except himself, and now he’s gonna try House Republicans.”
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