Dozens of freshman GOP lawmakers skipped out on Joe Biden’s bipartisan welcoming party at the White House Tuesday night, according to Fox News.
Of the 45 newly elected Republican members of Congress invited, only 11 chose to attend Biden’s welcome party, according to Fox News. Among those who chose not to attend were New York Rep. George Santos, several Republicans who sought to block California Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the House speakership and New York Rep. Nick LaLota, who declined to attend due to the White House’s COVID-19 protocols. (RELATED: House Republicans Set To Probe Biden’s Connections To Foreign Business Partners)
“Even though four months ago the President told 60 Minutes that the pandemic is over, the White House is today enforcing arbitrary, outdated, and unscientific pandemic protocols upon Members of Congress who accepted the President’s invitation to meet him at the White House,” LaLota said in a statement.
The bipartisan event extended invitations to all congress members, according to Fox News.
Dozens of Republicans were no-shows at the Biden welcome party for Congress freshmen, including five @HouseGOP who originally blocked McCarthy’s bid for speaker https://t.co/F5lzA5ODuQ
— Heather Timmons (@HeathaT) January 25, 2023
The list of freshman Republicans that did attend the bipartisan event includes: Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama; Rep. John James of Michigan; Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri; Rep. John Duarte of California; Rep. Tom Kean of New Jersey; Rep. Kevin Kiley of California; Reps. Nick Langworthy and Mike Lawler of New York; Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas; Rep. Dale Strong of Alabama, and Rep. Rudy Yakym of Indiana, according to Fox News.
The limited attendance of Republican lawmakers could be a signal that Biden will struggle to pass his priorities through the House, according to Fox News. Biden, who is expected to announce his candidacy for the 2024 presidential race in the near future, is currently under fire as the special counsel investigation into his alleged mishandling of classified documents continues.
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