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Meet James Comer: A MAGA Extremist Who Wants to Take Away Our Rights

Dec 16, 2022

All this month, the Congressional Integrity Project is introducing one of Donald Trump’s staunchest allies – Representative James Comer. Just last month, the American people rejected the extreme MAGA agenda and said they want our leaders to focus on solving the real problems they face. But MAGA Republicans aren’t listening. As soon as they won the House, they immediately turned to the Trump playbook of political attacks, stunts, and partisan warfare. Investigations under the new Republican-led committees will be conducted following the Trump playbook: divisive and politically motivated attacks on President Biden, his family, and his administration at any cost, all to increase Comer’s own power to pursue the radical agenda of his MAGA allies. 

This week, we’ve outlined Comer’s extremist, MAGA views on almost every aspect of American life, from marriage equality, to abortion rights, to cutting Social Security and Medicare.

The fact is, Comer and his MAGA allies in Congress are launching their planned investigations to politically damage Democrats and President Biden, all so they can enact their own extremist agenda and take away our rights.

  • Comer & His MAGA Allies Have Proposed Major Cuts to Social Security and Medicare. The House GOP has already announced plans to use the debt limit to force spending cuts, including on Social Security benefits, if they don’t get their way. Top members of the Republican Study Committee have proposed deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare that would progressively raise the retirement and eligibility age, and some have even proposed drastic cuts that would sunset and privatize the programs after five years. Speaker-nominee Kevin McCarthy has refused to take Social Security and Medicare cuts off the table, saying “he wouldn’t ‘predetermine’ anything.” [Mother Jones, 7/6/22; Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), 2/1/22; Punchbowl News, 10/18/22]
  • Comer Co-Sponsored A Bill Banning Marriage Equality In Kentucky. In 2005, as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, Comer co-sponsored a bill banning marriage equality in the state – a vote he proudly featured on his campaign website until as late as 2018: “While I was a Kentucky State Representative, I cosponsored the 2005 amendment that made same-sex marriage illegal in Kentucky. As a Congressman, I will…only support traditional marriage between one man and one woman.” His amendment banned marriage equality in the state for nearly a decade. [Kentucky Legislature, 2/26/04; James Comer for Congress (Archived), 10/23/18]
  • Comer Voted Against The Respect For Marriage Act. Just this year, Comer voted against H.R. 8404, a bipartisan piece of legislation federally recognizing marriage equality. [Lexington Herald-Leader, 7/20/22; U.S. House, 12/8/22]
  • Comer Co-Sponsored A National Abortion Ban.  In September, Rep. Comer co-sponsored H.R. 8814, an anti-choice resolution that would have banned all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and criminalized abortion, threatening prison time and hefty fines. The bill was swiftly condemned by both national and state-level reproductive health organizations. [U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 8814, 9/13/22; ABC11, 9/16/22; WRAL, 9/15/22]
  • Comer Voted Against The Right To Contraception Act. [Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, Roll Call 385, 7/21/22]
  • Comer Voted Against The Women’s Health Protection Act, Which “Prohibits Governmental Restrictions On The Provision Of, And Access To, Abortion Services.” [Congress.gov, H.R. 8296, Accessed 12/5/22]
  • Comer Voted Against Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.  In March 2021, Rep. Comer voted “Nay” to H.R. 1620, the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2021.  The resolution passed without his support, reauthorizing federal spending for responding to cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.  Comer’s position, joined by every member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, demonstrated his commitment to an extremist MAGA agenda. [U.S. House of Representatives, H.R. 1620, 3/17/21]