House reprimands Democratic congressman accused of subverting election

By Sarah Ferris, Ellis Kim, CNN

(CNN) — The House on Tuesday took the rare step of publicly reprimanding one of its own members — retiring Democratic Rep. Chuy García — for what some of his colleagues have described as an attempt to subvert the election of his successor in Congress.

What made it even more surprising: It was a fellow Democrat who triggered the vote.

Centrist Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington has infuriated fellow Democrats for her surprise decision last week to force the House to take up the symbolic resolution against García. The Illinois Democrat, first elected in 2018, is under attack for allegedly coordinating his own retirement to ensure his hand-picked replacement would win his seat next year.

Garcia announced his retirement shortly after his state’s filing deadline on November 3 — after his chief of staff had declared her own candidacy. That meant the staffer, Patty Garcia, was the only Democrat running in a primary for a deep-blue Chicago seat he has held since 2019. She is now all but guaranteed to win his seat next year.

Only 22 Democrats voted with Gluesenkamp Perez to reprimand Garcia, along with 213 Republicans. The move has enraged many House Democrats, who argue that their colleague, the moderate Democrat from Washington, is choosing to embarrass their party at a time when it is already sharply divided over ideological lines in the wake of this month’s shutdown fight.

“It shouldn’t have caused as much friction as it did to speak honestly and consistently about election subversion. Congress is a legislative body, not a social club, and the American people will not accept blind calls to party loyalty in defense of an effort to deny them the right to a free and fair election,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement after the vote. “Representative Chuy García has had a long career of public service, and he is retiring for honorable reasons, but election subversion is wrong no matter who’s doing it.”

House Minority Leader Jeffries and Democratic leaders had been blindsided by Gluesenkamp Perez’s move, which she announced, without informing leadership, the same day the House voted to end the shutdown.

Jeffries and his leadership team had sought to stifle the effort, and while the Democratic leader did not formally whip his members, he and his leadership team made clear they did not support it.

“If you are not going to run, you don’t choose your successor — no matter the work you have done beforehand,” Gluesenkamp Perez said on the House floor Monday night, condemning Garcia’s actions.

The Illinois Democrat, however, has sharply disputed the allegations. His office has said his abrupt decision to retire came after he received troubling health news, alongside other family matters, such as his recent adoption of a grandchild after the death of his daughter in 2023.

“At a moment like this, he hopes his colleagues, especially those who speak about family values, can show the same compassion and respect that any family would want during a health crisis,” Garcia’s office said in a statement.

House Democratic leaders issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday defending Garcia and condemning the “misguided” measure, after unsuccessfully trying to kill the effort earlier this week.

“(Garcia) is a good man who has always prioritized the people he represents, even while experiencing unthinkable family tragedy. We unequivocally oppose this misguided resolution and urge our colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus to reject it,” the statement from Jeffries and his leadership team read.

Asked Monday if he had concerns about Garcia’s actions, Jeffries argued that it was not an issue that was important to everyday Americans.

“The American people are focused on the high cost of living in the United States of America. That’s what they’re focused on,” Jeffries said, before adding: “I strongly support Congressman Garcia.”

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CNN’s Jake Tapper contributed to this report.