Spokesman: Flake’s vote on tax reform will have nothing to do with Trump

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) has yet to make a decision on the upper chamber’s tax-reform legislation, a spokesman said, despite President Trump’s prediction on Sunday that Flake will vote against the bill.

“Senator Flake is still reviewing the tax reform bill on its merits,” Flake’s spokesman told Reuters. “How he votes on it will have nothing to do with the president.”

{mosads}Trump late Sunday criticized Flake, who has emerged as one of his most vocal critics in Congress.

“Sen. Jeff Flake(y), who is unelectable in the Great State of Arizona (quit race, anemic polls) was caught (purposely) on ‘mike’ saying bad things about your favorite President,” Trump wrote on Twitter.

“He’ll be a NO on tax cuts because his political career anyway is ‘toast.’”

Sen. Jeff Flake(y), who is unelectable in the Great State of Arizona (quit race, anemic polls) was caught (purposely) on “mike” saying bad things about your favorite President. He’ll be a NO on tax cuts because his political career anyway is “toast.”

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017

The tweet comes as the Senate pursues a tax-reform package that differs from the legislation passed last week in the House. One particular difference is that the upper chamber’s bill, as it is currently written, would delay the cut in the corporate tax rate until 2019.

Trump has previously criticized Flake, who recently announced he will not seek reelection in 2018.

One GOP senator has so far come out against the Republican tax-reform bill. Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.) last week said the legislation does not do enough to help pass-through business entities, which are taxed at the individual rather than the corporate rate.