Zooey Zephyr Banishment Spotlights Rise Of GOP Far-Right Caucuses

After debuting on the second anniversary of the January 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol, the Montana Freedom Caucus’ 21 members over the past two weeks successfully pushed GOP leaders to punish Zephyr, a Democrat, following her statements and actions in support of the transgender community.

Zephyr’s punishment appears unprecedented in Montana. It comes after the state’s political landscape careened sharply Republican over the past 15 years, giving the GOP a two-thirds supermajority in the statehouse. That shift sidelined the thinning ranks of Republican moderates — and brought to the fore social issues once on the legislative fringe.

Montana’s Republican House Speaker stopped recognizing Zephyr’s requests to speak on April 18 after she told colleagues they’d have blood on their hands if they restricted gender-affirming medical care. Days later, Zephyr was ousted from the floor on a party-line vote for the remainder of the session, accused of egging on boisterous demonstrators in the House gallery who had demanded she be allowed to speak.FILE - Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.

The network uses House Freedom Caucus members to establish state-level affiliates, with congressmen including Biggs, U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina informally advising lawmakers in their states — hoping to create a pipeline of conservative lawmakers to higher office. Each backed Trump’s false statements about fraud in the 2020 election.

Biggs, the former Freedom Caucus chair who challenged McCarthy, said freedom caucuses “create leverage points to try to advance a conservative cause.”“Leverage is the key,” Biggs said. “When I have something you want, and you feel like you need to have it, then you can’t get it anywhere else.”

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

House Democrat dismisses concerns about Biden's mental fitness, says White House 'overprotects' himRep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. said President Joe Biden should debate his Democratic primary challengers and hold more press conferences.
Source: FoxNews - 🏆 9. / 87 Read more »

Texas House OKs $5 billion for broadband, if voters give thumbs upHouse Bill 9 and the accompanying House Joint Resolution 125 would ask Texas voters in November whether the state can spend that historic amount and create the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund.
Source: ExpressNews - 🏆 519. / 51 Read more »

Can the new Problem Solvers Caucus make for better politics in California?That grand American myth of a halcyon time in the not-too-distant past when politicians of all stripes were friendly adversaries who were always collegial and hoisted a sarsaparilla together every …
Source: ladailynews - 🏆 332. / 59 Read more »

Can sneakers help bridge the partisan factions that divide America? Yes, says sneakerhead and congressman Jared MoskowitzThe Florida Democrat is forming a congressional caucus devoted to, yes, sneakers.
Source: ladailynews - 🏆 332. / 59 Read more »

Over 100 Harvard professors and staff stand up for free speech with new council: 'We are in a crisis time'Some Harvard professors are joining in an alliance to defend freedom of speech and academic freedom on one of America's most famous campuses.
Source: FoxNews - 🏆 9. / 87 Read more »

'Shawshank Redemption' star Tim Robbins rips 'lack of freedom of assembly,' speech that COVID mandates broughtMovie star Tim Robbins trashed COVID lockdowns in a recent interview, claiming they restricted Americans' freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
Source: FoxNews - 🏆 9. / 87 Read more »