Labrador slams Boehner’s attack on conservative groups

Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho) said he was saddened to hear Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) publicly admonish outside conservative groups.

Boehner on Wednesday had criticized a number of conservative outside spending groups who came out in opposition to the budget deal reached this week before the details were sealed. 

{mosads}“In fact it’s a shame, because in our conference, we have members of our conference that are constantly pulling out their cards and saying that they’ll do whatever John Boehner tells them to do,” Labrador, a conservative member, said on CNN Wednesday night. “I was really saddened to see John Boehner do this, and I’ve actually had a good relationship with him.”

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Boehner said it was “ridiculous” that outside groups were “using our members, and … using the American people for their own goals.”

Labrador, a Tea Party favorite, said he does not allow any outside groups to influence his vote. He also charged that groups like Heritage Action and FreedomWorks were acting on information that had been leaked by House leadership itself. 

“What the outside groups were talking about was actually what the leaks from — from leadership aides were giving to the press,” he said. “And I can’t believe that he would go to the press and then discuss that these groups have absolutely no ability to talk about what the leaks — that his own leadership staff was telling out there.”

Labrador argued that Boehner’s comments were not a sign that the Speaker had become less afraid of the influence of the conservative wing of the caucus. 

“I don’t think Boehner’s ever been afraid of me before, and I don’t think he’s afraid of me today,” Labrador said.