In a press release on Friday, Leonard Lance condemned his opponent Tom Malinowski for opposing the 2017 GOP tax law… despite constantly campaigning on his own “opposition.” Though Lance’s opposition may only be as steadfast as his party will allow.
When Tax Plan 2.0 came to a vote in September, Lance voted against it, and released a statement supporting a “bipartisan” process to restore the SALT Deduction and pass fiscally responsible tax reform.
But only two days before, he voted in support of House Resolution 1084, which advanced the Tax Plan 2.0 legislation to the floor, including its provision to make the SALT cap permanent. The resolution was passed under a closed rule which means that no new amendments may be offered to the bill on the floor of the House.
It also meant that the amendment offered by NJ-09 Rep. Bill Pascrell restoring the SALT deduction, as well as Lance’s own amendment to restore the SALT deduction, were blocked from consideration. Tax Plan 2.0 then, predictably, passed on the floor by a Republican majority.
“Lance chose his party over his state. He did everything he possibly could to give his party leadership a win, up to the point where they didn’t need him anymore. He could have said no to Resolution 1084 and kept the bill off the floor. He could have demanded debate on restoring the SALT deduction. But he didn’t,” said Malinowski Communications Dir. Benji Schwartz. “He sent it to the floor where he knew it would pass with or without him. Where he knew they would make New Jersey’s SALT cap permanent.”
This pattern of voting is typical of Lance. While eventually voting ‘No’ on ACA repeal, he supported it in committee, allowing the floor vote where the Republican majority passed it without any further assistance from Lance.