November 9, 2013

The Private Party

Meet the strange bedfellows driving the establishment nuts.


Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.)

Elected: 2010

Sought to defund the NSA’s domestic surveillance. Tried to prohibit indefinite detention of American citizens. Snubbed John Boehner by voting for buddy Raúl Labrador for House speaker. Once brought a hemp granola bar onto the House floor.

 

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)

Elected: 2012

Cosponsored Amash’s NSA amendment. Opposed expanding Iran sanctions. Pushed a bill to end the federal prohibition on industrial cannabis. Drives a Tesla and lives in a solar-powered house.
 

 

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.)

Elected: 2008

Worked with Amash to stop the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, which aimed to expand federal partnering with tech firms. Introduced a bill to defederalize marijuana laws.
 

 

Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho)

Elected: 2010

Cosponsored Amash’s LIBERT-E Act to curb surveillance. Toured Amash’s district and the talk show circuit to make the case for immigration reform (though he didn’t end up following through on it).
 

 

Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.)

Elected: 2012

Supported decriminalizing marijuana. Has suggested that President Obama might not have been born in the United States. Maintains a license as a large-animal veterinarian.
 

 

Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.)

Elected: 2008, 2012

Made a practice of trolling Republicans during his first stint in Congress. Scheduled an unofficial hearing to have reporter Glenn Greenwald testify on NSA surveillance. Pushed legislation to ban funding for drones.
 

 

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.)

Elected: 2010

Teamed up with Barney Frank to promote a Pentagon spending freeze. Joined with Amash and Polis to introduce legislation requiring a court order to obtain phone records.
 

 

Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas)

Elected: 2012

Supported Amash’s various NSA proposals. Wrote a book calling for an end to the drug war. His band’s first 7-inch was titled “The El Paso Pussycats.”

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