Is John Boehner Dragging Out Budget Negotiations To Protect His Job?

Maryland Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen believes Boehner could be dragging things out to protect his speakership.

“I’m getting increasingly concerned that one of the reasons the speaker is trying to string out these discussions is he wants to wait until Jan. 3 until the elections for speaker take place,” Rep. Chris Van Hollen said at a breakfast with reporters hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

“I hope he wouldn’t avoid the tough decisions simply to take us into January after his swearing in,” Van Hollen added, “but I’m becoming increasingly worried that that’s exactly what’s going on.”

There has been some chatter on Capitol Hill, some unfounded, that Boehner could face a challenge to his speakership should he pitch an unpalatable fiscal cliff deal to his conference…

“The risk for the speaker, of course, if he brings to the floor of the House a bill that doesn’t have a majority of Republican votes, it could mean more churning in his caucus,” Van Hollen said.

Boehner’s office calls this “nutty.”

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.