News

In stunning reversal, Meadows gets gavel back

By Bill Moss, Published: June 25, 2015

In a stunning reversal of a retaliatory move that had made U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows a hero of the right, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Thursday reinstated the 11th District second termer to his chairmanship of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.

Capitol Hill websites reported

 today that Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, had reversed his decision to sack Meadows as a subcommittee chair after a wave of protest from Meadows' allies and storm of criticism from talk show hosts, the public and at least two presidential candidates.

Chaffetz stripped Meadows of his subcommittee gavel last week after Meadows joined other conservatives in voting against the leadership on a procedural motion intended at advancing the trade bill, The Hill reported.

"Chaffetz, the new Oversight chairman, soon came under heavy fire from prominent voices on the right, including Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who’s running for president," The Hill reported. "In a tweet, Levin called Chaffetz 'a sanctimonious fraud.'”

"I greatly appreciate Chairman Jason Chaffetz' willingness to reconsider his decision, as well as my Oversight and Government Reform Committee colleagues' support,” Meadows said in a statement. “I will continue to vote and conduct myself in accordance with my conscience, what my constituents want me to do, and what is best for the country.”