McCarthy’s office did not meet the House in debt ceiling fight
However, he said, the House advocated for a bipartisan deal directly to the White House.
“I view the relationship as respectful, so I don’t mind wasting my time coming in and saying, ‘Look how much I agree with you,'” Bradley said when asked if he considered the McCarthy relationship irretrievable.
McCarthy’s lack of awareness underscores the predicament the House finds itself in, as the likelihood of default and the resulting damage to the economy has increased. With the speaker and President Joe Biden engaged in bumpy negotiations, the White House hoped business groups would put more pressure on House Republicans to help resolve the impasse with a minimum. of drama. Instead, the main lobby for these groups did not voice their tightrope concerns to the speaker.
The House’s relationship with McCarthy’s office has grown rocky in recent years after it endorsed a number of House Democrats in the 2020 election cycle. The group’s decision to criticize then-President Donald Trump, on a host of issues — from trade to immigration — and to align with Biden on other issues has drawn backlash from conservatives.
The Chamber has tried to repair these relationships. But the lack of more direct engagement in the fight against the debt limit suggests a tacit acknowledgment that she does not wield the influence she once had in GOP circles. To date, the House has implored the White House not to invoke the 14th Amendment to argue that the debt limit is constitutionally invalid. Instead, he urged the White House to engage in negotiations with Republicans. The House sees itself aligned with McCarthy on this issue, Bradley said, including on issues such as certain discretionary spending caps, accelerated energy permits and additional work requirements for government programs.
“I worked for Kevin, I worked for President McCarthy. I’m a fan of President McCarthy’s,” Bradley said. “On a very personal note, I don’t know if anyone could do a better job in the situation they find themselves in, that they have, and I have tremendous respect for the work and the success that ‘he has.”
Reception of the Chamber of Commerce among Hill Republicans has soured in recent years. The Intercept reported last fall that Republicans intended to investigate the group, if they took control of the House, and Axios reported that McCarthy was campaigning for a leadership shakeup of the group. The No. 2 House Republican, Steve Scalisealso said the relationship could not be repaired until there was a change in House leadership, a spokesperson told POLITICO in an email.
Animosity toward the House appears to be shared by Republicans in the Senate.
“When your friends are no longer your friends, you should stop treating them as your friends,” said a Republican Senate leadership aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to address the situation.
Although the US House has not spoken directly to McCarthy’s office, individual business entities appear to be leading GOP figures. Rep. Patrick McHenry (RN.C.), who was deputized by the President to help lead the debt ceiling negotiations, said his texts were filled with messages from business leaders.
POLITICO
