Liberals for years have been loudly cajoling President Obama to use his executive authority to bypass the Republican Congress to get more done. But after Obama signed executive orders in areas like immigration, healthcare and climate change, the Republicans are considering asking the courts to stop him.
Through his spokesman, House Speaker John Boehner has gone public with the possibility that he may sue Obama over misuse of executive action, according to published reports.
“The president has a clear record of ignoring the American people’s elected representatives and exceeding his constitutional authority, which has dangerous implications for both our system of government and our economy,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told CNN.
The Republicans have attempted to use the legislative process to thwart the president, but two House bills aimed at curbing executive orders by the President stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate after passing the Republican-controlled House.
“While the urgent needs of the American people are ignored by House Republicans, it is reprehensible that Speaker Boehner plans another doomed, legal boondoggle after he spent $2.3 million in taxpayer dollars unsuccessfully defending discrimination in federal courts,” Drew Hammill, spokesman for House Democratic Leader Pelosi, said Wednesday.
Some of Obama’s executive orders, pointed out by CNN, include directing the Department of Labor to extend family leave to same-sex couples, raising the minimum wage for federal contractors, and halting deportations for many children in the United States illegally.
But each time he takes action, it leads to braying from the Republicans, who reportedly have been pushing their leadership to file a lawsuit for months.
When Obama appeared yesterday at the White House with Boehner and Vice President Joe Biden to meet the members of the 2013 U.S. and International Presidents Cup golf teams, there was no tension between the two leaders.
“I’m joined by two of my favorite golf partners, the Vice President of the United States Joe Biden and Speaker of the House John Boehner,” Obama joked.
PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem told those gathered that he’s been keeping track of who criticizes the President about his golf game, and Boehner was not a critic.
“The only thing that he doesn’t criticize me about,” the president, added as the crowd laughed.
