Rep. Mike Lawler traded insults with fellow Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in a nasty on-line spat over his push for a better cap on deducting state and native taxes, or SALT.
Calling MTG “the Jewish space laser lady,” Lawler mentioned hardline right-wing Republicans ought to pay extra consideration to profitable swing seats like his Westchester County-based district in the event that they wish to maintain management of the Home of Representatives.
“Shockingly the ‘Jewish Space Laser’ lady once again doesn’t have a clue what she is talking about,” Lawler posted on X, referring to Taylor Greene. “By the way, the reason you enjoy a gavel is because Republicans like me have won our seats. Good luck being in the Majority if we don’t.”
Taylor Greene — a Georgia MAGA stalwart who as soon as spouted the antisemitic conspiracy idea that the Rothschild banking household created “space lasers” that triggered the California wildfires — countered that Lawler ought to credit score President Trump with profitable Congress.
“Lawler usually isn’t the guy in the conference with the best ideas,” she wrote.
Lawler identified that he’s considered one of three out of 220 sitting Republican lawmakers who gained districts Trump misplaced within the 2024 election. With out these three GOP lawmakers, the occasion wouldn’t maintain the 218 seats wanted for a majority, he mentioned.
“I know math is difficult but: 220 – 3 = 217,” Lawler wrote.
The tit-for-tat Twitter spat comes as warring Republican factions have been set for an important assembly Thursday to hunt settlement on SALT and different knotty disputes which have endangered Trump’s sprawling funds invoice.
Far right-wing lawmakers like Taylor Greene need even deeper cuts to social security web packages like Medicaid, whereas relative moderates wish to restrict the ache on their constituents. Some fiscal hawks are insisting upon smaller tax cuts to keep away from blowing up the deficit.
The present draft of the invoice consists of a rise within the cap on SALT deductions to $30,000 from the present $10,000.
Lawler and a handful of different self-described “SALT Republicans” from prosperous suburban districts in high-tax blue states have vowed to vote towards the invoice if it doesn’t hike the SALT cap by a a lot bigger quantity, though they haven’t recognized an appropriate quantity.
