House Democrats failed Monday to stop several of their members from voting to advance a motion denouncing Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.) for effectively ensuring his chief of staff will replace him in Congress.
Why it matters: The motion will likely pass when it comes up for a vote on Tuesday, highlighting Democrats' internal divisions at a moment when they had hoped to be united around releasing the Epstein files.
- Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) angered some of her Democratic colleagues by unexpectedly triggering the vote last week.
- García's office sent out talking points to colleagues arguing the motion "creates distraction and divisiveness among Democrats" and is a "ploy that our opponents will use for their own gain."
The details: The two-page resolution expresses disapproval towards García for announcing his retirement after Illinois' filing deadline, allowing his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, to be the only candidate on the primary ballot.
- "Representative García's actions are beneath the dignity of his office and incompatible with the spirit of the United States Constitution," the measure says.
- García has said he planned to run for reelection until 11th-hour pleas by his wife and doctor urging him to retire for health and family reasons convinced him to reverse course.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say that Garcia announced his retirement after Illinois' ballot filing deadline (not before).
