How Right-Wing Media Helped Set Up The Challenge To Boehner

Written by Olivia Kittel

Published

Right-wing media outlets effectively set the stage for conservative challenges to replace Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) as speaker of the House after months of attacking Boehner for immigration reform proposals, refusing to impeach President Obama, and for suggesting congressional hearings to investigate the death of Eric Garner.

Conservative Congressmen Challenge Boehner For Speaker Of The House

Reps. Gohmert (R-TX) And Yoho (R-FL) Challenge Boehner For Speaker Of The House. Texas Representative Louie Gohmert announced his candidacy for speaker of the House on January 4, joining other Republicans who have publicly opposed current Speaker Boehner. From The Huffington Post:

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) launched a long-shot campaign Sunday for speaker of the House of Representatives, in the latest episode of the conservative rebellion against current Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

House members are set to vote for their next speaker on Tuesday, with Boehner heavily favored to win. Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) said Saturday that he is willing to serve as an alternative to Boehner. In addition, Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have stated that they will oppose Boehner's re-election. [Huffington Post, 1/4/15]

Right-Wing Media Set The Stage For Boehner Challengers With Months Of Attacks

Right-Wing Media Criticize Boehner To Halt Immigration Reform

Right-Wing Radio Threatened Boehner Into Abandoning Immigration Reform. In early 2014, Boehner backed away from immigration reform plans after right-wing radio hosts attacked the plan, calling it “amnesty,” “the mother of all scams,” and “the destruction of your society.” [Media Matters, 2/7/14]

Conservative Media Helped Kill Boehner's Bill That Addressed Migrant Crisis At Border. Boehner was forced to table his emergency spending measure that addressed the child migrant crisis on the southern border in July after conservative media launched a campaign attacking the bill. The Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol and conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt demanded the House “kill the bill,” and radio host Laura Ingraham called the bill's ability to enrage both conservatives and liberals a “supreme accomplishment,” and later celebrated the bill's defeat. [Media Matters, 7/31/14]

Conservative Media Lash Out At Boehner For Rejecting Calls To Impeach President Obama

Rush Limbaugh Chided Boehner For Taking Impeachment Off The Table. On the July 30 edition of his radio show, Limbaugh criticized Speaker Boehner for taking impeachment of President Obama off the table during a July 29 press conference. Rush lamented:

Boehner took [impeachment] off the table if it was ever on the table. And I don't like all these things being taken off the table by the way. We just said that we're not going to shut the government down, so we're not going to use the power of the purse to stop Obama, okay? And now we're saying impeachment's off the table, so we're not going to use the Constitution to stop Obama. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 7/30/14]

Mark Levin Lashed Out At Speaker Boehner For Claiming Republicans Don't Support Impeachment. On the July 29 edition of his radio show, conservative radio host Levin criticized Boehner for claiming that Republicans don't support impeachment saying, “Here's the dead truth - Obama should be impeached, but he won't be impeached.” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Mark Levin Show, 7/29/14]

Right-Wing Media Attack Boehner's Call For Congressional Hearings On Death Of Eric Garner

Sean Hannity Attacked Boehner For Suggesting Congressional Hearings On The Death Of Eric Garner Instead Of Benghazi. On the December 5 edition of The Sean Hannity Show, Hannity expressed outrage over Speaker Boehner's call to hold a congressional hearing to investigate the choking death of Eric Garner at the hands of police officers. Hannity asked, “Is this the same John Boehner that showed zero enthusiasm about the Benghazi hearings?” [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 12/5/14]

Right-Wing Media Now Praise Conservative Challenges To Replace Boehner As Speaker

Laura Ingraham Applauded Rep. Gohmert's Bid To Replace Speaker John Boehner. On the January 5 edition of Courtside Entertainment Group's The Laura Ingraham Show, Ingraham celebrated Rep. Louie Gohmert's bid to replace John Boehner as speaker of the House, saying, “If you're going to shoot the king, ... you better kill the king.” [Courtside Entertainment Group, The Laura Ingraham Show, 1/5/15]

Fox's Sean Hannity: “I Support Louie!” Fox News host Sean Hannity tweeted his support for Gohmert almost immediately following the congressman's announcement on Fox News:

 [Twitter.com, 1/4/15, via Media Matters] 

Mark Levin: “The Goal Is To Deny Boehner About 30 GOP Votes.” On January 4, Levin used his social media accounts to promote Gohmert and Yoho's decisions to run, saying, “the goal is to deny Boehner about 30 GOP votes.”

[Twitter.com, 1/4/15, via Media Matters; Facebook.com, 1/3/15, via Media Matters]