House Republicans took a brief hiatus from a closed-door Tuesday meeting about spending cuts and raising the debt ceiling to auction off Speaker Kevin McCarthy's, R-Calif., used cherry Chapstick.
The auction, which was meant to bolster the House GOP's campaign funds, came to a close when Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered up $100,000 dollars once McCarthy stated he would attend a dinner with the highest bidder and whichever donors and supporters they brought in tow.
"I'm honored to be able to donate $100,000 to the [National Republican Congressional Committee] to help Republicans increase our majority in 2024 and defeat the Democrats. My constituents will be honored to host a visit with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who we all think is doing a great job," the GOP congresswoman said in a statement.
Politico reported that Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., led the auction, while the bidding pool included Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.; Stephanie Bice, R-Okla.; and Jason Smith, R-Mo.
Politico reporter Olivia Beavers shared an image of Bean and Greene with said chapstick, which was branded for Bean's congressional campaign.
The chapstick!
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) May 23, 2023
Told the flavor is cherry! pic.twitter.com/E8XKByZEVR
The auction comes at a fraught moment in time, given that the U.S. Treasury has indicated that the hard deadline to raise the debt ceiling is June 1.
"They [are] doing this insane chapstick shit while the country teeters on default. Wild," tweeted Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
They doing this insane chapstick shit while the country teeters on default.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) May 23, 2023
Wild. https://t.co/Q4DOsNOxGd
"Spending $100,000 on chapstick while working overtime to gut the programs that working families rely on. GOP priorities in a nutshell," Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., wrote.
Spending $100,000 on chapstick while working overtime to gut the programs that working families rely on.
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) May 23, 2023
GOP priorities in a nutshell. https://t.co/rmGbAO1Gkc
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., also blasted the House GOP, saying, in "today's Democratic caucus meeting, we discussed how devastating a default would be for American families and what we can do to get the GOP to take this seriously. In the House GOP meeting, they auctioned off Kevin McCarthy's used chapstick."
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In today's Democratic caucus meeting, we discussed how devastating a default would be for American families and what we can do to get the GOP to take this seriously.
— Rep. Sean Casten (@RepCasten) May 23, 2023
In the House GOP meeting, they auctioned off Kevin McCarthy's used chapstick. https://t.co/qqFPIi1ocL
"MAGA Republicans are paying $100,000 for Speaker McCarthy's chapstick while holding Social Security checks and retirement benefits hostage unless we cut food benefits for seniors, Medicaid funding, and childcare/preschool for low-income Americans," tweeted Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Va.
MAGA Republicans are paying $100,000 for Speaker McCarthy’s chapstick while holding Social Security checks and retirement benefits hostage unless we cut food benefits for seniors, Medicaid funding, and childcare/preschool for low-income Americans.#Priorities https://t.co/9TOAdcyJg3
— Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (@RepMcClellan) May 23, 2023
Greene caught some heat from the right as well for using her donor money for the purchase.
"Is this your personal money or PAC/campaign money @MTG?" questioned Grace Chong, the CFO of MAGA ally Steve Bannon's War Room podcast. "You came on WarRoom asking MAGA for more money, which a lot are struggling financially."
Is this your personal money or PAC/campaign money @MTG? You came on WarRoom asking MAGA for more money, which a lot are struggling financially. https://t.co/xjWTUy3xbI
— Grace Chong 🇺🇸 (@gc22gc) May 23, 2023
