We’ll cut funding if you don’t change, group says

The Newport Beach-based Lincoln Club of Orange County, one of the most prominent conservative political action committees in the state, is threatening to cut funding for some Republican politicians if the leadership in Washington is not changed immediately.

The Lincoln Club gives about $1 million in funding to conservative politicians and causes every two years, and individual members chip in up to $3 million more.

According to the group’s leadership, Tuesday’s election was a sign that the nation continues to be fed up with the Republican Party’s direction, and in order to address these concerns big changes need to be made soon in Congress.

In a statement issued Thursday, Lincoln Club President Rich Wagner and board member Chip Hanlon called for the removal of Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) as the house minority leader.

Boehner announced Wednesday that he would run for reelection to the post in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) stepped down Thursday as the minority whip, the No. 2 job.

“We need to stop supporting people who don’t get that [Republicans] lost because we let spending get out of control,” Executive Director Clare Venegas said.

Wagner and Hanlon have put forward Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc) as a possible alternative to Boehner.

“Not only has Ryan offered detailed plans for reining in key government programs, he truly believes in and can articulate why reining in spending, eliminating the wasteful pork-fest and promoting free-market legislation is the center-right alternative most Americans embrace,” they said in the statement.

Wagner and Hanlon criticized several big legislative developments during the Bush administration including the stimulus package, the No Child Left Behind Act and “massive” budget deficits.

In order to have any hope of regaining ground in the Legislature in upcoming elections, the party needs to return to conservative fiscal fundamentals, Venegas said.

— Alan Blank