GOP Can’t Pass the SALT: NY Republicans’ Tax Fix Bill Melts 195-225

"The House rejected a rule that would provide for floor consideration of a bill to double the cap on state and local tax deductions for married couples earning up to $500,000, striking a blow to legislation championed by blue-state Republicans. U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota (R-North Shore Suffolk), blamed Democrats for the rule’s defeat, despite rules typically being party-line votes,” reported Roll Call. “Still, it was LaLota’s own [Republican] caucus that in the end wasn’t convinced that unlocking more relief to blue-state constituents was the right thing to do. Some were also perturbed by the process, arguing that a small group of centrist Republicans had basically bullied Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), into calling the SALT bill vote, without a prior committee hearing. The four New Yorkers who had been the driving force behind the bill — Lawler, LaLota, D’Esposito and GOP Rep. Andrew Garbarino—walked off the floor together after Wednesday’s vote. Garbarino said they’d be working on ‘Plan B,’ which D’Esposito quipped would be ‘margaritas with salt.'