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A lawmaker confirmed that Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, a Republican, has been elected as the new chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. This group consists of far-right extremists who often disagree with GOP leadership.
On Monday night, the election was held behind closed doors. In the past, the Freedom Caucus has supported Trump in his administration. In contrast, Good backed Republican frontrunner Ron DeSantis in May, citing DeSantis’s record as governor of Florida as evidence of “strength in the face of adversity” and “effective results for every man, woman, and child.”
Along with seven other Republicans, Good joined the Democratic caucus that ousted Representative Kevin McCarthy from his position as speaker in October, Axios reported.
The current chairman, Scott Perry (R-Pa.), is succeeded by Good, who was nominated by the Freedom Caucus board and ran unopposed. The group’s founding chairman, Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, and former North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows, who later became Trump’s chief of staff in the White House, are among those who have held the position of top official for the organization.
Some minimal opposition did come Good’s way. Axios reports that Republican Ohio Representative Warren Davidson, who is also a member of the group’s board, urged his colleagues to choose someone else and voiced his concerns about Good’s political strategies in a letter he sent to colleagues before the election.
“I ask that we consider how to best increase our influence while preserving our power to move policy in the right direction. I strongly feel that Bob Good as Chairman will impair that objective.”
“I do not have an alternative nomination, but as my final fiduciary duty as a board member, I ask that you prayerfully consider electing someone else as Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus.”
House Freedom Caucus reportedly taps Rep. Bob Good to serve as its next chair https://t.co/qntJYgBTyT
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) December 12, 2023
NEW ‼️@HouseFreedomGOP officially announces Rep. Bob Good as its next chairman after members voted last night. He will succeed Rep. Scott Perry in January. pic.twitter.com/YrYpN7tYMm
— Stephanie Myers (@_StephanieMyers) December 12, 2023
The news comes as the GOP-led House will reportedly vote on Thursday to decide whether to formalize an official impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said this week he believes the votes are there to launch one.
“He just told us that … Thursday,” Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) said of Johnson in comments to Reuters after leaving a closed-door meeting with the Republican conference on Monday.
Reuters went on to claim that “House Republicans have so far failed to produce evidence tying Biden’s actions as vice president to his son’s businesses,” which is false, per GOP lawmakers.
In September, during a House Freedom Caucus press conference, an incredulous Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) tore into a reporter who asked what evidence House Republicans had to begin the inquiry.
“What actual evidence do you have as opposed to allegations to show to the American public that would merit an actual impeachment inquiry of Joe Biden and prove that today isn’t just about some of you?” a reporter asked off-camera.
“Oh, I don’t know,” interjected Perry as the reporter went on to suggest Republicans were simply “enacting political revenge” after Democrats impeached then-President Donald Trump.
“This isn’t about political revenge. We have the bank accounts we can see, ma’am. You can see that the homes that the Bidens own can’t be afforded on a congressional or Senate salary. You also understand that it’s not normal for family members to receive millions of dollars from overseas interests,” Perry responded, growing increasingly animated and agitated.
“Those things aren’t normal. That’s not normal. Have 20 shell country companies, these things are not normal. And it alludes to not only just widespread corruption, but money laundering, if not influence peddling itself,” he continued.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the leading Republican on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, told Just the News last week that “banks filed at least six reports concerning Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings that flagged President Joe Biden’s home address in Delaware and raised concerns about possible criminal activity involving money laundering or human trafficking,” the outlet reported.
He also said “that the Suspicious Activity Reports (SARS) chronicled about $12 million in transactions over several years, some of which passed through Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Del., home where he had allowed his son to stay,” the outlet noted further.
Johnson asserted that Joe Biden would likely have been aware that his son was utilizing his home as a business and banking address, if for no other reason than postal mail arriving at the location.
He further contended that House impeachment investigators have ample grounds to inquire into Joe Biden’s involvement in his son’s foreign dealings. The House is scheduled to vote on formally authorizing an impeachment inquiry next week.
