Congressman Mike Lawler Lied to my Face

Congressman Mike Lawler lied to my face. Last week, Congressman Lawler appeared on Have I Got News For You. After our host, Roy Wood Jr., asked him how he would vote regarding proposed Medicaid cuts, Lawler said he would vote against cuts to beneficiaries. I pressed him, asking if that meant he would vote no when the Republican budget bill came to the floor. He tried to evade the question, repeating that he would not vote for cuts to beneficiaries. I told him that was politician doublespeak and it was bullshit. Which, to be honest, he didn’t love.

Then I felt bad about confronting him so directly, and wrote a piece about it which you can read by clicking here. As it turns out, I needn’t have felt any guilt whatsoever because Congressman Mike Lawler lied to my face.

Last night, he voted for the Republican budget bill, which mandates $880B in cuts over the next decade, which must come from “within the Energy and Commerce committee’s jurisdiction,” according to this article from the New York Times. I’ll cut to the chase so you don’t have to read the whole thing – it is impossible to cut $880B without cutting either Medicare and/or Medicaid. Congressman Lawler knows this but still voted for the bill.

Now, I should be clear: when I asked the congressman if he would vote against the bill, I fully expected him to lie. In fact, I expected him to do exactly what he did, which was to parse his answer in such a way that he could pretend he didn’t vote against Medicaid cuts when he did - otherwise known as lying.

I have nothing against Congressman Lawler. As I said in the piece, I liked him. What I don’t like is liars, particularly lying politicians. The reason should be obvious: when you say one thing to get elected, which Mike strenuously does on his website, and then vote the opposite way once you have the job, you lose your credibility. If I can’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth, then you should not be serving the public in any capacity. Not as a congressman and not as governor.

Lawler is doing a lot of media appearances these days because he wants to be governor of New York. No doubt that’s why he appeared on our show – get a little fun time over at CNN, show the folks that he’s just a regular cut-up. And he did have some good jokes. Unfortunately, he also lied about something incredibly important to a lot of people.

If it sounds like I’m being sanctimonious, you can bet your sweet ass that’s exactly what I’m doing. Have I ever lied? Yes I have. Have I ever lied about cutting hundreds of billions from a program that “provides comprehensive coverage of health and long-term care to 83 million low-income people in the United States”? I have not. But Mike Lawler did.

Congressman Lawler could have said that he hoped he would not be in a position to vote for Medicaid cuts. He could have said that he would vote for appropriate Medicaid cuts. He could have said any number of things about how difficult it is to balance priorities. He didn’t. He said he wouldn’t cut Medicaid. And if he wants to repeat that he said he wouldn’t “cut benefits to beneficiaries,” that’s fine, but he needs to explain how you cut hundreds of billions from Medicaid without reducing benefits or services. He can’t. Because it’s impossible. And he knows it’s impossible. He lied.

A politician lied, you might be thinking, Big deal.

You would be correct to think that because we’ve normalized political lies. We expect politicians to lie and so, when they do, we shrug our shoulders. Or maybe you do. But I don’t. Because I’m a petty bitch. And when a sitting congressman comes to my “house” and lies to my face, I’m not going to forget it. In fact, I’m going to go out of my way to remind people that said Congressman (Mike Lawler, NY - R) lied to my face because there ought to be consequences for public figures who lie to their constituents.

The rest of the world might be living in a post-truth era, but I’m not there. I don’t think I’ll ever get there. I can forgive a lot. I can even forgive lying. But I have a hard time forgiving lying done in the name of personal ambition and moral cowardice. Mike Lawler lied to my face, and he lied to yours. He does not deserve to remain a public servant.