A letter being circulated by freshman Rep. Joe Walsh (R., Ill.) could effectively take the contingency plan being crafted by Senate leaders Harry Reid (D., Nev.) and Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) — it’s being referred to as “McConnell-Reid” — completely off the table in debt-ceiling negotiations.
Walsh tells National Review Online that he has received close to 90 signatures on his letter, which is addressed to House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R., Va.) and urges them to publicly denounce the McConnell plan (or some version thereof) and ensure that it never comes up for a vote. He says that “people close to leadership” have told him that they are aware of the letter and the number of signatures (nearly 40 percent of the Republican caucus) and that it has “had an impact” on their decision making. In all likelihood, Boehner cannot afford another mass defection within the caucus (as with the continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown in April).
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