Mediaboss Marketing

Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulPentagon: War in Afghanistan will cost billion in 2018 Overnight Finance: Senators near two-year budget deal | Trump would 'love to see a shutdown' over immigration | Dow closes nearly 600 points higher after volatile day | Trade deficit at highest level since 2008 | Pawlenty leaving Wall Street group Rand Paul calls for punishment if Congress can't reach a long-term budget deal MORE seems to revel in frustrating fellow members of the Senate and that makes his blatant disregard for the chambers chummy protocols even more infuriating to them.

Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky, appeared to thumb his nose at fellow Republicans Thursdaynight when he posed for a picture with conservative Reps. Justin AmashJustin AmashOvernight Defense: House votes to renew surveillance program | More drones, troops headed to Afghanistan | Former officers urge lawmakers to curb Trump's nuclear powers Overnight Tech: House votes to reauthorize surveillance powers | Twitter on defensive after Project Veritas video | Senate panel to hold hearing on bitcoin Overnight Cybersecurity: House votes to renew NSA spying | Trump tweets spark confusion | Signs Russian hackers are targeting Olympics | Bannon expected to appear before House Intel panel MORE (R-Mich.) and Thomas MassieThomas Harold MassieHouse Republicans' bill would redirect Pakistan aid money to US infrastructure House stays in DC despite threats from GOP leaders Live coverage: Federal government on brink of shutdown MORE (R-Ky.) just off the Senate floor.

They posed with their arms folded, grinning for the camera in the midst of a government shutdown fight that Paul himself had triggered.

The snapshot was especially galling to Republicans because the trio posed in front of the Senate portrait of Henry Clay, the 19th century Kentucky senator known as the "Great Compromiser. Clay is the historical hero of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDems confront Kelly after he calls some immigrants 'lazy' McConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration Overnight Defense: Latest on spending fight - House passes stopgap with defense money while Senate nears two-year budget deal | Pentagon planning military parade for Trump | Afghan war will cost B in 2018 MORE (R-Ky.), who negotiated the budget deal that Paul was trashing.

[Paul is] the perennial annoying gadfly with no positivity associating with it. What he did didnt change the outcome. Hes all about grandstanding, said a Senate Republican aide.

Taking selfies with Justin Amash and Thomas Massie he just is the perennial annoyance, the aide added. Hes here to go on television and thats what he kept doing. Its about self promotion.

Al Cross, a journalism professor at the University of Kentucky and a longtime commentator on Kentucky politics, said Pauls actions likely dont sitwell with the GOP leader, even if he doesnt say anything about it publicly.

Theres no doubt that it gets his nose out of joint, but hes dealt with Rand Paul for a long time and hes pretty accustomed to it, Cross said of McConnell.

But Paul doesnt care if hes making his colleagues uncomfortable.

He says he wouldnt have delayed the budget deal if GOP leaders had merely allowed him a vote on restoring the spending caps that the deal was setting aside.

Leaders said if they allowed Paul a vote other senators would then demand votes on their own amendments, delaying the bill even longer.

Still, many Republicans didn't want to vote against reimposing spending caps that they had declared a major victory only a few short years ago, when they fought with the Obama administration over spending cuts.

You could feel the frustration and embarrassment growing in Congress as we exposed the hypocrisy of Republicans who are joining in an unholy alliance and spending free-for-all with Democrats, Paul tweetedThursdaynight.

Members of the Senate are accustomed to the opposing party forcing them to take tough votes, rather than a member of their own conference.

Senate Republican Whip John CornynJohn CornynDems confront Kelly after he calls some immigrants 'lazy' McConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration GOP senators turning Trump immigration framework into legislation MORE (R-Texas) fumed that Pauls tactics were grossly irresponsible and bad behavior that he didnt want to reward by making any concessions.

Senate Republican Conference Chairman John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneOvernight Tech: Uber exec says 'no justification' for covering up hack | Apple considers battery rebates | Regulators talk bitcoin | SpaceX launches world's most powerful rocket Apple tells senator it may give rebates to consumers who bought iPhone batteries Republican agenda clouded by division MORE (S.D.) called it a colossal waste of everyones time.

Sen. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold Johnson40 patient advocacy groups oppose 'right to try' drug bill GOP eyes changes to 'right to try' bill Hundreds sign on to letter opposing 'right to try' drug bill MORE (R-Wis.) called the whole episode another example of the Senates dysfunction, labeling it ridiculous.

But Paul gets energy from riling up his colleagues on points of principle and refused to back down, even though it was clear that the budget deal had the votes to pass.

Theyre mad that they have to do their jobs, said Brian Darling, a GOP strategist and former Paul aide.

Darling said his former boss doesnt care about upsetting his fellow senators.

He cares more about doing the right thing, not going along to get along. Members were really angry with him but he has the right to do what he did.

Congress waits until the last minute to do their appropriations bill and then challenges a single member to object. Theyre doing this on purpose to bully members to get bad bills passed, he said.

Paul doubled downFridaywith an op-ed that called his colleagues hypocrites.

We now control the House, Senate and White House, and we should stand for less government and less spending, he wrote in Time. Instead, we see a massive increase that would make President Obama cringe.

Paul said he expected a lot of tired staffers would try to feed media stories about how I wouldnt play nice with them and let them get their massive spending bill in secret.

He said didnt regret how things played out.

People tuned in to TV, followed on social media, and had the debate trending number one all night, he noted.

Thursdaywas only the latest example of Paul sticking his finger in the eye of Republicans leadership.

He was a thorn in the side of leaders during last years health-care debate, when he declared on television the GOP plan to repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act was ObamaCare-lite and a bailout" for insurance companies.

At one point, he accused Speaker Paul RyanPaul Davis RyanMcConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration Overnight Defense: Latest on spending fight - House passes stopgap with defense money while Senate nears two-year budget deal | Pentagon planning military parade for Trump | Afghan war will cost B in 2018 House passes stopgap spending measure with defense money MORE (R-Wis.) of selling a bill of goods to President TrumpDonald John TrumpTillerson: Russia already looking to interfere in 2018 midterms Dems pick up deep-red legislative seat in Missouri Speier on Trump's desire for military parade: 'We have a Napoleon in the making' MORE in the health-care debate.

Paul was later one of a handful of Senate Republicans to vote against the ObamaCare repeal and replace plan that passed the House, and that McConnell had spent weeks negotiating with his conference.

In December, Paul panned the short-term spending proposal that GOP leaders advanced to keep the government open as reckless deficit spending.

For Paul, playing the role of maverick is good politics.

A Mason-Dixon poll of registered voters in Kentucky in December showed that he has a substantial better job rating than McConnell, the ultimate Republican team player.

The survey showed Paul with a 44 percent job approval rating, while only 30 percent approved of McConnells performance.

Pauls one-man revolt on the budget deal was also a hit with conservatives.

A senator has an ability to be a voice and not just a vote, said Daniel Horowitz, senior editor of Conservative Review. Hes able to give to the forgotten man the average American taxpayer.

When the political class of both parties get together and decide theyre going to get a specific outcome theres no way to thwart that outcome in the short run. But the only thing worse than screwing taxpayers is screwing them and having no one find out about it, he added.

Senators thoughtThursdaywould be a routine day after McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerGOP lawmaker: Dems not standing for Trump is 'un-American' Trump called for unity he didnt even last a week Overnight Defense: GOP plays hardball by attaching defense funding to CR | US reportedly drawing down in Iraq | Russia, US meet arms treaty deadline | Why the military wants 6B from Congress MORE (N.Y.) announced they had reached a two-year budget deal that gained swift support from Ryan in the House.

They needed consent from everyone in the chamber to speed up the procedural clock and vote in the morning and afternoon in time to catch flights back home for an early weekend.

But Paul surprised them all by digging in his heels and delaying a vote until1:30 a.m.after McConnell refused to give in to his demand for a separate vote on budget caps.

The frustration with Paul spread to the other side of the Capitol, where members of the House had to stay on call until5 a.m.Fridaymorning to receive the bill and pass it, something they expected to happen hours earlier.

One frustrated Republican lawmaker, Rep. Charlie DentCharles (Charlie) Wieder DentSupreme Court denies GOP request to block Pennsylvania gerrymandering decision Dent likens GOP to a dysfunctional family on tackling difficult issues GOP lawmaker: Trump should have hit Russia harder in speech MORE (Pa.), quipped he could sympathize with Rene Boucher, Pauls neighbor in Bowling Green, Ky., who allegedly tackled the senator over a landscaping dispute.

When Rand Paul pulls a stunt like this, its easy to understand why its difficult to be Rand Pauls next-door neighbor, Dent told Politico.

Pauls office didnt find that remark at all humorous. The assault gave Paul broken ribs.

That comment is disgusting and Charlie Dent should apologize. Senator Rand Paul will always stand up for what is right, regardless of which party is in control, said Pauls spokesman Sergio Gor.

He successfully brought much-needed attention to the hypocrisy in the halls of Congress when it comes to out-of-control spending, he added.

Follow this link:
Rand Paul revels in role of Senate troublemaker | TheHill