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Politico is reporting that a number of House Republicans began chanting "Fire him! Fire him!" during a closed-door meeting today. The "him" in question is Paul Teller, who has ably served as executive director of the Republican Study Committee under multiple chairmen.
At issue is an email Teller sent to outside groups asking them to oppose the Boehner plan. RSC Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio has publicly opposed the Boehner plan. Scores of outside groups, such as those sponsoring the Cut, Cap, and Balance coaltion (scroll down the right side of the site), are relying on the RSC to protect their interest in seeing nothing short of CCB defended as the debt ceiling solution.
Divisions among Republican ranks are reaching pitched levels. As blogger Matt Lewis notes, the divisions among members are spilling out along K Street and among bloggers such that "things are getting ugly."
Teller may have gone too far in fomenting a division within the party on the Hill with his email, but if some within the GOP leadership or elsewhere are thinking of making him the fall guy for the divisions that exist, they will enrage grassroots conservatives all the more.They should keep him in his job and work like crazy with Jordan and others to address concerns. Forcing Teller out would accomplish little, and would create another blazing fire within the party they'll have trouble extinguishing.
Keep focused on the job at hand, guys.
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