‘Swampy!’ House Republicans Rage Over ‘Backroom Deal’ to Bail Out GOP Colleague Facing Censure

Joe DePaolo Nov 19th, 2025, 9:44 am

House Republicans are furious with several of their GOP colleagues over what they say is a “backroom deal” to bail out a Republican facing censure.

Late Tuesday night, a House vote to censure Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) for texting with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 House Oversight Committee hearing failed by 209-214 margin. Three Republicans (Rep. Don Bacon [NE], Rep. Lance Gooden [TX] and Rep. Dave Joyce [OH]) joined with Democrats to vote down the measure. Three other Republicans voted present.

Democrats had countered the move against Plaskett by introducing a measure of their own to censure Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) and to remove

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