The Washington Monthly Newsletter: February 6, 2024

Why did Speaker Johnson betray the Border Patrol by throwing them under the bus? Last week, I outlined the three necessary steps for the border security/Ukraine aid package to pass. However, one of those crucial steps – Senate Republicans’ support – did not happen. Despite House Speaker Mike Johnson’s declaration that the bill would not receive a vote and 22 Republican senators publicly opposing it, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell signaled that they could filibuster the opening procedural vote this week. Johnson’s complaints are disingenuous, even from a conservative perspective, as he even turned against the highly respected U.S. Border Patrol. The Washington Monthly website covers this story and also discusses the Trump-Abbott-Republican nullification crisis. Additionally, former federal prosecutor James D. Zirin explores the possibility of disgraced New York governor Andrew Cuomo making a political comeback as New York City’s mayor. On Monday, Johnson claimed that the bipartisan border security bill did not have the necessary elements to solve the border crisis, based on information from experts on the ground, including border patrol agents and officers. However, the National Border Patrol Council, a union representing border patrol agents, endorsed the bill. In a Fox News interview, Johnson backstabbed the union, suggesting that their endorsement was influenced by the pay structure in the bill. This is a baseless claim, as the union has a history of supporting Trump and criticizing Biden’s immigration policies. The endorsement statement from the union debunks Johnson’s arguments, showing that he betrayed the Border Patrol by throwing them under the bus.