Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX) On Why He Resigned From The Freedom Caucus: They Were Obstructionists Who Were Never Going To Vote For Speaker Ryan’s Obamacare Replacement Bill

“I resigned from the Freedom Caucus because of this last bill, the Obamacare bill repeal and replace. We met with the President over an hour and half, Vice President Pence was there, members of the cabinet were there and the President was trying to work and compromise and get more things the Freedom Caucus wanted in the bill. Those things were added but it wasn’t good enough so at the end of the day, they were going to vote against the bill and I thought that was being obstructionist but we should have supported a bill that maybe wasn’t perfect but it was better than what we have so now we are stuck with Obamacare and that is why I resigned from the Freedom Caucus.”

—Congressman Ted Poe on why he resigned from the Freedom Caucus

Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX)joined Kilmeade & Friends to explain why he resigned from the Freedom Caucus and his belief that no matter what changes were made to Speaker Ryan’s Obamacare replacement bill, the Freedom Caucus was never going to vote for it. Poe said both President Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan were very accommodating and listened to the concerns of the Freedom Caucus and the Ryan bill would have lowered premiums.

Plus, Poe discussed democrats being willing to work with republicans on issues such as border security and immigration.

Listen here:

Congressman Ted Poe on the Freedom Caucus being unwilling to work with President Trump & Speaker Ryan

(POE) Paul Ryan and the President were very accommodating. The whole purpose of the Freedom Caucus was that we weren’t called to the table. We were called to the table, we made numerous recommendations, they were all adopted, we had plenty of time but the Freedom Caucus in my opinion, the leadership was going to vote no on the bill no matter what was in the bill and I think that is obstructionist and I think we had plenty of time, plenty of discussion, plenty of hearings and we had been saying this for 7 years working on it. We disagree on that and I didn’t want to be a part of an organization that was obstructionist rather than trying to be working with the majority and get some solutions.

Congressman Poe on Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus Mark Meadows saying he may have needed to spend more time with the Tuesday Group & Democrats to find consensus

(POE) I don’t think that would have been productive. That is the first I heard of that. All people were consulted and like I said Paul Ryan was very accommodating, he did talk to all groups in the republican caucus and I think the President wants to move onto something else so we are stuck with Obamacare and Mark Meadows, god guy, conservative but eventually you have to pick a horse and ride it and you are going to have to vote and it was time to vote and all people have been heard and the Freedom Caucus were never going to get to a yes.