April 24, 2021

After Boehner turned down her show’s invitation, Cross decided to write the former speaker a public “Dear John” letter, addressing his best-selling book, “where you beat your chest about the crazies that exist in the Republican party and chide the Tea Party extremists that existed during your tenure on Capitol Hill.”

CROSS: Well, here's some tea for you. This was and is your squad. After co-authoring the "Contract with America" with conservative Trump supporter Newt Gingrich in the 1990s, you kept your contract with future MAGA-hat wearers, championing everything from small government to big business and welfare reform, while the tobacco industry funded many of your political campaigns.

And when that Tea Party that you hate so much helped you become House speaker, you became one of the most verbal opponents against the Affordable Care Act. And, in fact, your partisan petulance led to the infamous government shutdown because these extremists, as you now call them, refused to pass the budget that funded Obamacare. But, yes, please say more about these crazies and how you're somehow different. 23 million people who now have healthcare are listening.

Cross went on to point out that while Boehner calls America “a land of immigration,” he aligned with the people he now calls “crazies” to block immigration reform in 2014.

Then there’s Boehner’s hypocrisy on marijuana.

CROSS: Throughout your political career you were unabashedly and unalterably opposed to any type of marijuana legalization. So you can imagine our surprise when, in 2018, you joined the board of Acreage Holdings, an investment company with an established footprint in the cannabis industry.

After spending a lifetime criminalizing people for one type of green, you sure were thirsty to get your hands on another type since the legalized cannabis industry reported $10 billion in sales around the time you had that convenient change of heart.

Cross acknowledged that Boehner played golf with President Obama and was polite to him, unlike other Republicans. “But your policies were just as damaging,” she added.

“We're supposed to pat you on the back because you played Dr. Frankenstein for years and the monster you created has begun to cannibalize the entire country?” Cross continued. Maybe even worse, she added, “after all your recent and convenient revelations, you still voted for Trump in 2020.”

Then, after sticking her knife into Boehner, Cross twisted it for her conclusion.

CROSS: Look, I know you're a crier and my intention is not to hurt feelings. But those crocodile tears don't match the ones we've cried for years. So tell your story, sob, sad, but the receipts don't leave us with much sympathy.

Can you help us out?

For nearly 20 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon