UNDER HIS SKIN

Republican Rep Makes Unhinged Demand in Meltdown Over Leaks

Rep. Michael Baumgartner is requiring his colleagues to commit to shunning a top reporter to get his backing for House leadership positions.

A Republican lawmaker has made an unhinged demand to his fellow House members—stop talking to a top Congress reporter, or do not talk to me.

Washington Rep. Michael Baumgartner says anyone who speaks to Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman, known for his frequent scoops on Capitol Hill, should not come to him for backing in leadership roles.

“The slimiest member of the DC press corps who conspires with low integrity attention seekers to leak strategies being discussed in House Republican meetings is Jake Sherman,” Baumgartner has written on X. “To be clear—If you want my vote for leadership you will commit to no on or off record interviews with Jake Sherman for as long as he leaks our confidential team meetings.”

He continued, “If being in ‘punchbowl’ is more important than keeping the confidentiality of your colleagues not only are you unfit for Leadership, you shouldn’t call yourself a patriot. Do not call me and ask for my vote unless you are willing to make that commitment.”

Sherman reacted to a similar post by Baumgartner, in which the lawmaker whined about “un-patriotic attention seekers currying favor with slimy journalists,” by typing simply “lol.”

Punchbowl News did not immediately respond to an email seeking additional comment.

Critics quickly pointed out that Baumgartner’s demand was especially bizarre given its timing—in the same week his party suffered a midterms wipeout.

“Finally, you’ve uncovered the real problem: Punchbowl,” reads one reply with hundreds of likes.

Another reads, “I see that after deep analysis and self-reflection, you’ve identified the reason why your party was wiped off the map. It wasn’t the corruption or ceding all your power to Trump. The real problem is Jake Sherman.”

Bloomberg’s Erik Wasson wrote on X, “GOP didn’t lose the midterms because of Jake Sherman.”

The Wall Street Journal congressional reporter Olivia Beavers told Baumgartner, a freshman congressman representing Eastern Washington, that she looks forward to “getting around” whatever anti-leak policy or safeguard he can come up with.

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Baumgartner, 50, fired back: “I look forward to hearing aspiring Leadership’s plan to stop the leaks. At a minimum I expect a commitment to give no on or off the record interviews to those members of the press who conspire to secretly leak our meetings. We’ve got a country to save. It’s not a game. The nonsense has to stop.”

It is unclear what leak has Baumgartner melting down. His race has already been called in his favor despite about 30 percent of votes still being tabulated. However, things were much closer this time, as The New York Times reports his district shifted from +21 to just +2.

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Josh FialloBreaking News Reporter

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