Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images
The House of Representatives did not proceed with a planned vote on Speaker Mike Johnson’s controversial spending bill after intense pushback from President Donald Trump, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, and other Republican lawmakers.
The resolution, which many conservatives decried as riddled with liberal concessions, failed to move forward after Musk and Trump issued dire warnings to any Republican considering supporting the measure.
The Continuing Resolution (CR), ostensibly aimed at averting a government shutdown, faced fierce criticism for its inclusion of far-left wish-list items and policy overreach.
One of the most controversial elements of the bill, Section 605, appeared to grant Congress immunity from judicial oversight. The provision would compel courts to quash subpoenas seeking information from House offices, raising serious constitutional concerns about the separation of powers.
The bill’s laundry list of dubious expenditures raised eyebrows across the political spectrum. Critics highlighted the inclusion of:
A $69,000 annual pay increase for members of Congress, bringing their salaries to $243,000.
$900 million earmarked for a new football stadium in Washington, D.C.
Provisions to fund 12 new biolabs
72 pages of “Pandemic Preparedness and Response” policy
Renewal of the embattled Global Engagement Center (GEC), accused of coordinating censorship campaigns under the guise of combating misinformation.
Elon Musk, who has become an increasingly vocal critic of government overreach, took to X (formerly Twitter) to lambast the bill. “The more I learn, the more obvious it becomes that this spending bill is a crime. It even includes funding for the worst illegal censorship operation in the entire government (GEC)!!”
The more I learn, the more obvious it becomes that this spending bill is a crime.
It even includes funding for the worst illegal censorship operation in the entire government (GEC)!! https://t.co/P8a3m0OpJR
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
Here’s more on the Continuing Resolution:
Credit: Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)
As news of the bill’s contents spread, conservative activists and commentators mobilized, flooding lawmakers with calls to reject the measure. Musk doubled down, declaring, “Shutting down the government (which doesn’t actually shut down critical functions btw) is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill.”
He added, “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”
Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
President Trump echoed Musk’s sentiments, warning Republicans against “stupid” decisions that would saddle his administration with debt-limit chaos and threatening that they will be primaried.
“If Republicans try to pass a clean Continuing Resolution without all of the Democrat “bells and whistles” that will be so destructive to our Country, all it will do, after January 20th, is bring the mess of the Debt Limit into the Trump Administration, rather than allowing it to take place in the Biden Administration. Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should, and will, be Primaried. Everything should be done, and fully negotiated, prior to my taking Office on January 20th, 2025.”
When the bill failed to move forward Wednesday night, Musk celebrated the victory on X:
“Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed! VOX POPULI, VOX DEI.”
Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed!
VOX POPULI
VOX DEI
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
In a separate tweet, Musk wrote, “Power to the People!”
Power to the People!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
The post “VOX POPULI, VOX DEI”: Elon Musk Cheers Victory as Speaker Johnson’s Spending Bill Stalls After Trump and Musk Threatened to Primary Anyone Who Would Vote for It appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
