Last week, the House of Representatives passed a foreign aid package to Ukraine, and the Democrats were ecstatic. They celebrated with wild abandon, waving Ukrainian flags on the House floor. But not everyone was happy about it.
One lawmaker who was not caught up in the revelry was Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). He recorded the whole debacle and shared it on social media. But now, it seems he is facing consequences for not going along with the Democrats’ festivities.
In a scathing post on X, Massie accused House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) of “sharing the GOP speakership with Democrats.” He pointed out that Johnson collaborated with Democratic lawmakers to push through the foreign aid measures, a move that has drawn criticism from Massie and others.
But Massie didn’t stop there. He also called out his colleagues for their childish behavior, waving flags and acting as if they were representing Ukraine instead of the United States. And it seems his words struck a nerve.
This is the U.S. House of Representatives under the direction of Speaker Mike Johnson. Democrats are celebrating his total capitulation with no victory for securing our border. #MTV pic.twitter.com/TtaIgnX9eg
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 20, 2024
On Tuesday, Massie revealed that he had received a call from the House Sergeant at Arms, who threatened to fine him if he didn’t delete his post. According to Congress’ rules, lawmakers can be fined for using electronic devices for recording or broadcasting in contravention of the House’s policies.
Instead of fining democrats for waving flags, the House Sergeant at Arms just called and said I will be fined $500 if I don’t delete this video post.
Mike Johnson really wants to memory hole this betrayal of America. https://t.co/5DPWoo4cLw
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 23, 2024
This rule is not only ridiculous but also goes against the freedom of speech and press that our country was founded on. In this case, Massie did not do anything wrong. He only shared a video of what had already been reported by media outlets and other lawmakers.
The fact that Massie is facing consequences for his actions reeks of retaliation. The Democrats and some Republicans in Congress are trying to silence those who dare to speak out against their questionable decisions and actions.
It’s a sad state of affairs when a lawmaker is punished for simply sharing the truth. The American people deserve to know what their elected officials are doing, especially when it involves spending billions of their hard-earned tax dollars on foreign aid.
It’s time for Congress to focus on serving the American people and not their own political agendas. It’s time for them to stop celebrating and start working together to address our country’s pressing issues. And it’s time for them to stop punishing those who refuse to go along with their reckless actions.
