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Representative Rich McCormick of Georgia expressed strong opinions about Elon Musk’s involvement in Congressional matters during a CNN interview on Thursday evening. As Congress faced a looming deadline to pass a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown, McCormick highlighted the challenge facing Speaker Mike Johnson in navigating these crucial decisions.
McCormick emphasized the necessity of garnering the correct advice and support to successfully pass the bill, stating, “This is a leadership challenge that Mike Johnson has to define himself with. Are you going to get the right input from the right people to get this bill passed? Because, quite frankly, you can’t do it in a vacuum. And it doesn’t matter because, quite frankly, last time I checked, Elon Musk doesn’t have a vote in Congress.”
There is speculation that Musk’s influence may have swayed even the former president to abandon a 1,500-page bill that he had initially seemed to support. Musk, using his platform on social media, argued that the bill should be rejected due to concerns about increasing the national debt, despite the pressing deadline.
McCormick acknowledged Musk’s potential to impact Congressional decisions, remarking to CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, “Now, he [Elon] has influence, and he’ll put pressure on us to do whatever he thinks the right thing is for him.”
However, McCormick reaffirmed his commitment to his constituents, saying, “But I have 760,000 people that voted for me to do the right thing for them. And that’s what matters to me.”
The involvement of figures like Musk in legislative affairs has divided lawmakers, with some appreciating his insights, while others criticize his role as an undue influence in matters traditionally reserved for elected officials.