Nancy Pelosi just bought off a rebel who had previously pledge to vote against her and signed the anti-Pelosi letter released this week:
FREE BEACON – Rep. Brian Higgins (D., N.Y.) quickly abandoned the small rebellion against Nancy Pelosi to be the next Speaker of the House, announcing Wednesday he would support the lawmaker he previously called “aloof, frenetic and misguided.”
The seven-term Buffalo congressman was one of 16 House Democrats who signed an open letter on Monday pledging to vote for new leadership, but he told The Buffalo News he changed his mind after Pelosi told him she would move two of his top priorities with their new majority to the front of the line: infrastructure and a proposal allowing people to buy into Medicare when they turn 50.
In a statement, Higgins cast his about-face as a “principled stand.”
“Some will ask why I have changed my position,” he said. “The answer is simple: I took a principled stand … A principled stand, however, often requires a pragmatic outlook in order to meet with success.”
He blasted Pelosi in June, telling The Buffalo News he would not support her.
“She’s listening, but this is my conclusion: She’s aloof, frenetic and misguided,” he said.
Yeah, he got bought off just like the final antiabortion Democrat who caved to Pelosi in 2010 that gave us Obamacare. I don’t even remember his name now, and this certainly isn’t as dramatic.
But Higgins caved in order to get his priorities to the front of the line, which is odd, considering that Democrats won’t be able to pass any of their legislation. So it’s all for show to help him get reelected after abandoning his pledge.
And don’t be surprised if you see Higgins name start showing up on big committees in the House. I suspect this was about far more than just ‘policy’ priorities.