It was one year ago today that “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” shared its first profile about the latest U.S. House Representative from Texas’ 19th Congressional District, Jodey Arrington, the man who just took the place of CSGOPOTD alumni Randy Neugebauer for his seat in Congress. Nine Republicans were in the GOP primary to replace Neugebauer, and Arrington emerged based on the political capitol he build up working first for George W. Bush as an aide while he was still Governor of Texas and in the Bush White House, and helping him fill up executive appointed posts during his administration. That included the choice of hiring a man named Michael Brown as head of FEMA, whose only experience was breeding horses. Remarkably, this led to Arrington being thrown into the fire to clean up the Gulf Coast after Brown had to resign in disgrace, where Arrington served as deputy federal coordinator for the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding.
Now, in an election year where it benefited more candidates to be the political outsider on the conservative side, it might seem odd that Arrington still managed to narrowly win his primary on a run-off. Well, in spite of maintaining his strong Bush Administration credentials, he also won a Breitbart endorsement by doing, what else? Taking a trip down to the U.S./Mexico border and talking tough about illegal immigrants. As it turns out, the now Rep. Arrington’s disdain for Mexicans was not something he just did in campaign mode, as he has gone on record as a supporter of Donald Trump’s border wall. But his support of xenophobia is not limited only to Mexicans, though, because Arrington also came out in defense of Trump’s bigoted Muslim ban when it was announced. Hell, Arrington’s drinking Trump’s Kool-Aid so much it looks like he’s visiting Jonestown, as he gave Trump’s First 100 Days in office an “A”.
But what Jodey Arrington did that is completly new for him (but sadly not for Republicans), happened back in late March 2017. Arrington, in a hearing on SNAP benefits, quoted the Bible’s 2 Thesslalonians 3:10, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Now, there are wiser and more well-versed Biblical experts will point out that Jesus was pretty much the guy who was ALL ABOUT FEEDING THE HUNGRY, Jodey Arrington is the latest Republican to use this verse out of context to take away food stamp benefits that, guess what? All too often go towards feeding CHILDREN. See also former CSGOPOTD profiles on Kevin Cramer and Stephen Fincher for others who tried twisting scripture out of context to turn it into something resembling a religion Ayn Rand would have possibly been into.
Not surprisingly, Jodey Arrington has also voted with his party the great majority of the time in his freshman term in office, including the following:
- February 16th, 2017: Arrington votes for HJR 69, to make it legal for hunters on wildlife reserves to kill several species of hibernating bears or wolves while they’re sleeping.
- March 16th, 2017: Jodey Arrington votes for HR 1181, which would allow veterans deemed mentally incompetent to continue to own firearms, and not have them taken away without a judge’s written order.
- March 28th, 2017: Rep. Arrington votes for SJ Res 34, which allowed internet providers to sell the data information of their customers’ internet usage to businesses.
- May 4th, 2017: Arrington votes for the House GOP’s healthcare plan, that would kick roughly 24 million people off their health insurance plans, allow up to 28,000 more people to die a year, give $50,000 in tax breaks to millionaires, and would eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions which would include such medical conditions as pregnancy (current or past), postpartum depression, or prior sexual assault. Oh, and a provision in the bill would make sure that Arrington would be allowed to keep his healthcare plan as it exists under the ACA, which would be repealed for the rest of the country. He and his Republican compatriots threw themselves a beer bash to celebrate taking away healthcare from millions and then gloated about it with Donald Trump at a White House press conference, as well.
- June 8th, 2017: Jodey Arrington votes for HR 10, the GOP’s attempt to repeal Dodd-Frank financial reform, because what the country really needs is to allow the big banks to make the same mistakes that imploded the economy only a decade earlier.
- September 8th, 2017: Rep. Arrington chooses to be one of 90 Republicans in Congress who votes against disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey. He is… a Congressman from Texas. So… do the math there.
- October 3rd, 2017: Arrington votes for HR 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, that would try to create an unconstitutional ban abortion at 20 weeks (even though medical science tells us fetuses do not have the capability to feel pain until 29 weeks).
- December 19th, 2017: Jodey Arrington votes for HR 1, the GOP’s $1.7 trillion tax cut to benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations permanently that coincidentally also removes the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate and kicks 13 million people off their health insurance.
- February 18th, 2018: Arrington and his fellow Republicans decide that poor big businesses are suffering too much at the hands of the Americans with Disabilities Act too much, and votes for HR 620, which would strip most of the civil rights protections guaranteed by it.
Texas’ 19th District is one of the more conservative in Congress, so Jodey Arrington’s challenger is Miguel Levario, a Texas Tech Professor who grew up around El Paso. Arrington’s Breitbart ties could end up making this race far closer than it would be with the partisan advantage. It will be interesting to see how this race turns out, especially in light of Arrington being forced to defend the Trump administration’s family separation policy to constituents.in a district so close to the border, where it’s being carried out.
One Year Ago, August 20th, 2017: Jodey Arrington (TX)… Original Profile
Two Years Ago, August 20th, 2016: Randy Neugebauer (TX)… 2016 Update
Three Years Ago, August 20th, 2015: Randy Neugebauer (TX)…2015 Update
Four Years Ago, August 20th, 2014: Randy Neugebauer (TX)…Original Profile