Report claiming GOP members fleeing Congress ‘fake news’

The international wire service Associated Press has been called out for “pushing the Democratic Party’s line” in a story about Republican Congress members planning to retire.

John Hinderaker, at the popular Powerline blog, noted the AP “gleefully” headlined its story “Republicans jumping ship amid dissatisfaction in Trump era.”

“It sounds as though people are abandoning the GOP in droves,” Hinderaker wrote.

But the impact, at least so far, is relatively minor, he explained.

Sen. Tom Coburn has come up with the answer to a Washington bureaucracy that doesn’t seem to care about the Constitution or the American people: An Article V convention, which he describes in “Smashing the DC Monopoly: Using Article V to Restore Freedom and Stop Runaway Government.”

First, he quoted the AP’s report: “Veteran Republicans are bailing on Congress in growing numbers, as GOP control of Washington fails to produce the unity or legislative successes party leaders wish for. With President Donald Trump willing, if not eager, to buck fellow Republicans and even directly attack them, a number of lawmakers no longer wish to be involved.”

How many? Hinderaker asked.

“Four.”

AP reported Rep. Dave Trott of Michigan “joins a string of moderate Republicans, including Reps. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Dave Reichert of Washington state and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, who are not seeking re-election.”

“Is four an impressive number, out of a GOP House caucus of 240?” Hinderaker asked.

He pointed out that there actually will be more than that, with reports of up to 13 Republicans and eight Democrats not seeking re-election in 2018.

Eight are retiring to run for governor of their state, while five are running for the Senate, said Hinderaker.

But he also argued that in the 2016 election cycle, 18 Republican House members and seven Democrats retired, and in 2014, it was 15 Republicans and 12 Democrats.

“So there is nothing unusual about the number of Republicans who have announced retirements this year,” he said.

“In any event, one thing is clear: the voluntary retirement of four GOP house members is not evidence of ‘Republicans jumping ship amid dissatisfaction in Trump erea.’ This is just the Associated Press pushing the Democratic Party’s line, as it does 365 days a year,” he wrote.

Reader James Dill commented that the exit of moderate Republicans is actually “good for Trump and good for conservatives.”

Added Kenneth Felton: “What’s significant is the fact that all four are anti-Trumpians, Ros-Lehtinen and Dent going so far as to publicly support hillary in the general. I would hope they will be replaced by candidates who support the America first agenda of Trump.”

Christine Golden went further: “My only regret is that more moderate Republicans aren’t retiring.”

Sen. Tom Coburn has come up with the answer to a Washington bureaucracy that doesn’t seem to care about the Constitution or the American people: An Article V convention, which he describes in “Smashing the DC Monopoly: Using Article V to Restore Freedom and Stop Runaway Government.”