| Dear Robert,
As you know, I have only sent a few Cuccinelli Compasses out in the last year or so.
Today, I'm making good an early New Years' resolution to start writing more.
As I write you, House Republicans are disappointing me to such a degree that I just couldn't hold my tongue any longer.
Since leaving office as Virginia's Attorney General in January, in addition to reopening my law practice, I took over as President of the Senate Conservatives Fund. Then-Senator Jim DeMint started SCF to provide funds to conservatives attempting to reach the U.S. Senate, but who may not have establishment backing.
In addition to helping good conservatives get elected at the federal level, SCF also works on a small number of critical issues, including Obamacare and executive amnesty.
Today the House has already taken one critical vote regarding executive amnesty, and they will vote on the underlying bill shortly. As I write this, I don't know how that vote will come out.
On the first vote, I am sorry to have to report that of all 8 Republican congressmen in Virginia, only Rep. Dave Brat voted "against the rule" governing debate and amendments of the CROmnibus bill – the bill to fund government for the next year.
What's worse, if only one more congressman changed their vote from "yes" to "no," the rule would have gone down in flames!
The "Rule" refers to the rules governing debate and amendments of the CR (continuing resolution). The leadership's proposed "rule" passed 216-214, with only 16 GOP votes against it.
Why was it important to vote against the rule?
Simple – the leadership's rule DOES NOT ALLOW an amendment for executive amnesty to even be proposed on the floor of the House! Much less debated…
Sad.
That means that every congressman that voted FOR the rule (all Virginia Republicans except Dave Brat), effectively voted to preclude consideration of defunding executive amnesty.
Ouch.
Three more quick notes:
First, last night, over 50 Republican congressmen, including several from Virginia, co-sponsored an amendment to defund amnesty. Yet in today's first vote, only 16 Republicans voted in a way that would allow that amendment to even receive a vote on the floor!
Draw your own conclusions.
Another way to think about that is over 2/3 of the Congressmen who co-sponsored the amendment to defund executive amnesty voted for a rule that does not allow consideration of that amendment.
Read that again slowly, because the leadership counts on you not being interested in process.
One might reasonably ask 'what good was co-sponsoring the amendment, if you weren't going to actually vote to allow the amendment to be considered?'
Second, did you notice the vote was 216-214? That means that if only one other congressman had voted the other way, the rule would have been defeated on a tie.
Does anyone think that was a coincidence?
It reminds me of pre-programmed 21-19 votes in the Virginia State Senate when I was there.
Click here to see the full roll-call vote: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll561.xml
Third and finally, this is not over yet. It would appear that all of the Democrats are going to vote against the CR. That means that only about 20 Republicans are needed to vote down the bill and start over.
So, call your congressman now – don't wait!
Here are the Republicans' phone numbers by district number of the Republicans who's vote for the leadership's rule effectively blocks an amendment defunding amnesty:
(1) Rob Wittman, 202-225-4261;
(2) Scott Rigell, 202-225-4215;
(4) Randy Forbes, 202-225-8351;
(5) Robert Hurt, 202-225-4711;
(6) Bob Goodlatte, 202-225-5431;
(9) Morgan Griffith, 202-225-3861; and
(10) Frank Wolf, 202-225-5136.
Dave Brat is not listed because he voted against the rule because it didn't allow for amending the CR to defund executive amnesty.
Republicans did not run on a unified agenda, but no issues were more relied upon than Obamacare and Amnesty.
There were more TV ads on these issues than any others.
It would be a tremendous disappointment to America and the GOP base if Republicans don't send a bill that immediately defunds amnesty to the Senate. Then we can join our fellow Virginians in calling Senators Kaine and Warner and urging them to vote for the House bill.
That way the Senate can join the House in avoiding a government shutdown by passing a budget, but one that protects the Constitution from Presidential overreach.
Call now!
In Liberty,
The Hon. Ken Cuccinelli, II Paid for by Cuccinelli for Governor | 
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