More fallout: second Republican calling for Barton to step down (updated)

[ProSense]

Josh Marshall: And Then There Were Two

Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL)Alabama Rep. Jo Bonner (R) becomes the second member of the House to call for Rep. Joe Barton to step down as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

As you might expect, Bonner's got the 1st District which covers the state's Gulf Coast.

Updated to add:

Top Republican joins chorus calling for Rep. Barton to step aside

By Molly Hooper

Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) added his name to the list of Republicans calling on Rep. Joe Barton to step aside as ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce committee.

The Gulf Coast GOP lawmaker, incensed that Barton apologized to BP at Thursday's high-profile hearing, released a statement on Friday saying that Barton's comments "sadly fall short of an appropriate response."

In that statement Bonner, the ranking member of the House ethics panel, revealed that he talked to Barton on Friday morning.

"As I told him, I believe the damage of his comments are beyond repair and, as such, I am today calling on Joe to do the right thing for our conference and immediately step aside as Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee," Bonner said in the statement.

Bonner, a member of House Minority Leader John Boehner's inner-circle, has been characterized as one of the "calmest guys in the legislative body."

But, on Friday, his ire at Barton could not be abated.

"There is no other way to say it… Joe’s comments were stupid and extremely insensitive to the hundreds of thousands of people who live along the Gulf Coast – many in my district – who are literally watching their way of life be destroyed by this catastrophe," Bonner's statement read.

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[ananda]

1. hehheh

nt

[alsame]

2. I love it when

they start turning on their own.

:popcorn:

[DFLforever]

3. I know. It's like they're putting themselves at the same

disadvantage that plagues the Dems. It gives me hope...

[alsame]

4. It gives me a lot of hope too, because this was way more than

just a gaffe or a politically incorrect statement. It went to the heart of conservative ideology and really exposed the GOP as being corporate whores who don't give a damn about people. And that message won't be lost on sane people.

IMO, that's why the GOP leadership isn't even trying to defend it. There was no way to sugar coat where Barton's loyalties are.

[mmonk]

7. You're correct. We need to make him the poster child of the Republican

Party through November.

[Cha]

9. This is the Perfect Storm for it..obviously

joe barton has oil sludge for brains or he might have thought this through before he blurted out his gushing apology to BP while getting his insults at the President simultaneously.

Maybe that's what tripped him..so anxious to insult President Obama that he lost his head.

[KingFlorez]

5. Jo Bonner represents the entire Alabama coast

At least for once, a Republican is standing up for the interest of their district.

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. Not sure why news like this would incite unrec's, but (+1) anyway. (nt)

[David Zephyr]

8. Beat this drum.

.