Washington, D.C., has turned into a political cage match as Congress swaps legislative progress for personal vendettas in 2025.
According to Fox News, after a government shutdown, both chambers voted to reopen, but rather than focusing on meaningful policy, lawmakers are embroiled in censures, criticisms, and petty feuds across party lines and even within their own ranks.
Earlier in the year, there was some legislative momentum with the Senate passing a major bill in June, followed by the House approving it in early July.
Additional plans to cut funding for foreign programs and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting showed promise for conservative priorities, but that was before the shutdown derailed focus.
While the Senate stayed in session during the closure and pushed a measure to release the Epstein files, the House took lengthy recesses, including all of October and parts of November, leaving little room for real work.
Now, back in session, the House resembles a reality TV drama more than a legislative body, with members lashing out at colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
Republicans tried to censure Del. Stacey Plaskett, a non-voting Democrat from the U.S. Virgin Islands, over past messages tied to the Epstein case during preparations for a historic impeachment trial, though the effort ultimately failed.
Democrats, in turn, considered targeting Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., for alleged personal misconduct, but backed off after the Plaskett measure flopped—hardly a sign of principled restraint.
Meanwhile, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is stirring the pot, pushing to censure Mills for a vote earlier in 2025 that blocked criticism of a controversial Democratic colleague, while Mace herself faces potential discipline over reported airport antics in Charleston, S.C.
Across the chamber, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., drafted a rebuke of retiring Rep. Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., whose last-minute decision to step aside—coupled with his chief of staff’s conveniently timed candidacy—has critics crying foul over a rigged succession.
The House didn’t hold back, sanctioning Garcia in a bipartisan vote of 236-183, with even some Democrats joining Republicans to signal that enough is enough with backroom deals.
Elsewhere, Rep. Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., faces a push for expulsion over a staggering $5 million COVID aid theft indictment, though no trial has occurred—a reminder that justice should never be rushed for political points.
Even President Trump weighed in, taking a swipe at Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., over personal matters with a sharp social media jab: "Did Thomas Massie, sometimes referred to as Rand Paul Jr., because he always votes against the Republican Party, get married already???" (Trump).
The critique continued with, "Boy, that was quick! Anyway, have a great life Thomas and (?)" (Trump), showcasing a blunt style that, while biting, distracts from the urgent need for Congress to refocus on America’s pressing issues.