Strong words after Boehner’s resignation

The announcement on Friday of House Speaker John Boehner’s resignation brought strongly worded messages of support, and concern for the future, from many political figures in this region.

“Speaker John Boehner is a decent, principled conservative man who tried to do the right thing under almost impossible circumstances,” Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said of the Ohio Republican. “He will be missed by Republicans and Democrats alike.”

“Let us hope the Republican majority, which Speaker Boehner played a large role in creating, learns the right lesson from his resignation: to work with Democrats in a constructive way, rather than let a handful of extreme right-wingers dictate his party’s policy.”

Rep. Peter King was more blunt. “John has been a strong leader for the nation and the Republican Party. I am proud to call him my friend,” said the 12-term Republican from Seaford. “It is unfortunate that he was continually obstructed by a small minority of malcontents who put their selfish interests before the national interest. President Obama should put them on his payroll!”

And Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Queens Democrat whose district includes parts of Nassau County, said, “I was shocked this morning to learn of Speaker John Boehner’s resignation. Hopefully Speaker Boehner’s choice to resign does not signal that the House Republican Caucus will become even more polarizing.”

Meeks added, “As a long-serving member of the House of Representatives, John Boehner remained committed to engaging in dialogue and reaching compromises, qualities I hope his successor will also possess.”

Boehner has long been plagued by divisions not just between House Republicans and Democrats, but also among his fellow Republicans. The 13-term congressman from Ohio became the House speaker in 2011, swept into power in the same conservative wave that brought many in the Tea Party to public office. But Boehner’s relationships with the Tea Partiers and other extreme conservative elements have polarized the Republican Party.

Rep. Kathleen Rice had no comment on the resignation, the Garden City-Democrat’s spokesman said.

But Alfonse D’Amato, the former senator from Island Park, said, “There are lots of people and pundits who have blamed Speaker Boehner for things beyond his control. The Republican Conference in the House is deeply divided. The fact of the matter is that Speaker Boehner did a very good job under very difficult political circumstances.”

And Meeks noted, “In the spirit of Pope Francis’ historic visit, the U.S. Congress should work together to unite our country, not divide it. I thank Speaker Boehner for his many decades of public service and wish him and his family the best.”