Gingrich Will Ask Gop To Forget Mutiny House Majority Leader Armey Denies Part In Aborted Plot To Oust Speaker
In an attempt to calm rank-and-file Republicans, House Speaker Newt Gingrich plans to urge his colleagues today not to take retribution against GOP leaders who may have been plotting against him.
Aides said Gingrich intends to tell House Republicans at a morning meeting to close ranks, stop focusing on the abortive coup against him 12 days ago and instead concentrate on budget and tax bills pending in Congress.
Some Gingrich loyalists want to punish any top Republicans involved in the attempt to topple Gingrich by forcing them out of their leadership positions.
House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, and House Majority Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas, have been identified by GOP dissidents as encouraging their mutiny.
Armey, seeking to retain his post, sent a letter to each House Republican Tuesday denying involvement.
“At this point, I couldn’t care less whether I’ll be speaker, majority leader or dog catcher, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let my name and honor be destroyed,” wrote Armey.
Armey blamed “a lot of wild, inaccurate and often contradictory stories being floated by unnamed sources that are doing damage to my and other members’ reputations.”
In the second page of the two-page letter, Armey confronted being labeled a “liar” for denying any role in the bungled mutiny.
In a widely reported episode a week ago, Rep. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., had to be physically restrained at a meeting of House Republicans when Armey denied any complicity.
In what many Republicans took as a dig at DeLay, Armey wrote, “I believed that no member of leadership was involved … I’ll let others speak for themselves, but I never indicated any support for this type of action.”
DeLay has refused to talk about the episode. Speculation has focused on DeLay as the next leader to fall after Paxon’s resignation last week.
On Tuesday, DeLay’s office said that DeLay would lash back, if necessary. “He’s not going to be scapegoated,” said spokesman Tony Rudy.
“We’re not contemplating resignation. We have a job to do and we’re going to do it.”
Members are clearly divided over what to do next.
Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., newly elected as vice-chairman of the GOP conference, said Tuesday, “I have talked to Dick Armey and heard his representation and I’m perfectly willing to take it at face value.”
But other lawmakers are clearly “looking for blood,” according to one GOP staffer.