Far-right House Republicans prep for more party infighting as "FART" group activates

Washington DC - Members of the Republican House Freedom Caucus have activated their Floor Action Response Team (FART) as party infighting threatens their power.

The House Freedom Caucus have activated their Floor Action Response Team, or FART, to help safeguard their power as infighting grows.
The House Freedom Caucus have activated their Floor Action Response Team, or FART, to help safeguard their power as infighting grows.  © KENT NISHIMURA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

According to Politico, the group assigns members of the caucus to monitor for any unannounced resolutions that could "stealthily limit their leverage against leadership."

Such resolutions could be passed by "unanimous consent" to avoid a vote, effectively evading dissenters.

The activation of the group comes as House Republicans have been plagued with infighting, as Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene leads an aggressive effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson.

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FART is currently focused on making it more difficult for legislators to oust the speaker and is fighting a push to remove three members from the caucus that refuse to support Johnson.

The Freedom Caucus is a group made up of far-right congressional Republicans, which includes Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and the organization's founder, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.

Boebert, who has bragged about FART on multiple occasions, said in 2021 that their aim is to "make things really smelly" for leadership.

Republicans' FART group sparks reactions online

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (l.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (center r.) arriving to a joint meeting of Congress in Washington, DC, April 11, 2024.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (l.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (center r.) arriving to a joint meeting of Congress in Washington, DC, April 11, 2024.  © DREW ANGERER / AFP

The activation of FART, which has been a concept since at least 2021, comes as House Republicans face heightened criticism over its constant infighting and inability to get things done.

Several House Republicans have also faced criticism for their trollish political tactics, most notably Greene, who recently proposed an amendment to deploy "space lasers" at the US-Mexico border, causing some to speculate if far-right Republicans are actually serious leaders.

News of FART's revival sparked a number of harsh jokes and memes on social media.

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"This GOP House is making quite a name for itself, and it's all bad," one user wrote. "If [Donald Trump] takes the White House, he will face a Democrat controlled congress."

Some users couldn't even take it seriously, with one asking "Is this real news or is it The Onion or some delayed April Fools' Day joke?"

"I'm sure the Floor Action Response Team will not be silent, but deadly," another user joked.

Cover photo: KENT NISHIMURA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

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