July 1st, 2014
06:08 PM ET
9 years ago

Obama to Republicans: 'So sue me'

(CNN) - President Barack Obama dared Republicans to follow through on their threats to bring a lawsuit against his administration over his use of executive action.

"Middle-class families can’t wait for Republicans in Congress to do stuff. So sue me," Obama said Tuesday at an event in Washington.

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"As long as they’re doing nothing, I’m not going to apologize for trying to do something."

Obama’s defiant attitude comes as House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, plans to propose legislation that could bring a lawsuit against him for implementing executive actions that the GOP contends amounts to a breach of his constitutional power by side-stepping the legislative process.

Obama: Boehner's lawsuit is 'a stunt'

Recently, Obama has ramped up his use of executive authority as a way to bypass a deeply divided Congress, avoiding inaction on issues the White House has made hallmarks of the President's second term agenda.

On Monday, Obama said he would start "a new effort to fix as much of our immigration system as I can on my own, without Congress."

Poll: Can Obama get the job done?

At Tuesday's event, Obama continued to harp on congressional Republicans to pass legislation - this time pushing them to invest in transportation.

Standing in front of Key Bridge, which connects the city's Georgetown-area to Virginia, Obama continued his stepped-up rhetoric hammering Republican for obstructing action in Washington.

A fundraising first for Obama

Obama proposed a long-term highway construction bill earlier this year that he says would spur job growth.

"It’s not crazy, it’s not socialism," Obama said of his transportation proposal. "It’s not the imperial presidency - no laws are broken. We’re just building roads and bridges like we’ve been doing for the last, I don’t know, 50, 100 years. But so far, House Republicans have refused to act on this idea."

CNN's Mike Ahlers and Rene Marsh contributed to this report.

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soundoff (1,488 Responses)
  1. My 2 Cents

    You ever stop and wonder if one of the reasons why were uncompetitive is because we have so many laws? Some say well its because were the biggest economy and we have to set an example. Look at China they are suppose to surpass the United States this year and there answer was to try and delete the news story. Give back tax money to the people and reduce the size of the government I say. The original founders of the United States weren't career politicians.

    July 2, 2014 08:12 am at 8:12 am |
  2. captcaps

    Funny when the Democrats use Executive Action it's violating the constitution, yet when Republicans use it it's all AOK. Republicans always want to have our cake and eat it to.... Boehner is like a little kid who can't stand sharing ... His immature temper tantrums reflect Republican immaturity and lack of compassion for the Little Guy....Thank you Mr. Boehner for your lack of compromise it is turning our country Blue from Sea to Sea and Border to Border and that's the truth... Charles Bowen Solomon Stone

    July 2, 2014 08:14 am at 8:14 am |
  3. Chad

    Obama's last 6 years has been nothing but a stunt, and a bad one at that.

    July 2, 2014 08:15 am at 8:15 am |
  4. paplita

    We have elected officials chosen by the people to represent the people who voted for them. Not everyone voted for Obama so he cant speak for the deeply divided nation on these things alone.

    Even if said elected officials are taking too long you still need to allow the process and comprise happen. If he wants immigration reform enforce the existing laws, dont allow anyone to have benefits or licenses without proof of citizenship. Take all the troops you brought home and post 5 men every 10 miles along the boarder and secure it, fly your drones up and down it. We dont need amnesty,people can get in legally just fine, we need to stop illegal immigrants who just walk into the country bypassing our laws and elected officials.

    Dont blame past presidents just find logical solutions for the problems with the current elected officials chosen by the PEOPLE, because its our choice. If we dont like them we can always vote different in 2 years.

    July 2, 2014 08:16 am at 8:16 am |
  5. Anonymous

    Its obivious as to why congress refuse to work with the president... Don't worry about a ting... every ting is gonna be alright.

    July 2, 2014 08:16 am at 8:16 am |
  6. Juan

    I have never heard a president trash with no moral's!! Our president been trying to fix this country that Republicans, and the so called Tea party been trying to ruin! CNN is getting as bad as Fox! Wolf,King and company thrive like them to see it the same way too.

    July 2, 2014 08:17 am at 8:17 am |
  7. MikeC

    So sue me? Yeah, that's really grown up Mr. President.

    July 2, 2014 08:18 am at 8:18 am |
  8. LiberaLIowan

    Good job Mr. President. I wish you had adopted this attitude a long time ago.

    July 2, 2014 08:19 am at 8:19 am |
  9. haddock

    With no government shut down to orchestrate, looks like Boehner is struggling to figure out how to stay busy without actually accomplishing anything.

    July 2, 2014 08:20 am at 8:20 am |
  10. Rodney

    This is not a democracy. It is a dictatorship

    July 2, 2014 08:20 am at 8:20 am |
  11. Bill

    "Middle-class families can’t wait for Republicans in Congress to do stuff. So sue me," Obama said Tuesday at an event in Washington.

    Dear Obumba – Every time you do stuff it costs the Middle Class families more money that they don't have. Everything you have done since you arrived on the scene has turned into a disaster. Please stop doing stuff!!!

    July 2, 2014 08:20 am at 8:20 am |
  12. Peter

    I think the American public wants SOMEBODY to do SOMETHING.

    July 2, 2014 08:20 am at 8:20 am |
  13. NATHAN WIMBERLY

    Stunts are all that desperate Guns Over People teatards have left. They fell for Green Eggs and Ham.

    July 2, 2014 08:21 am at 8:21 am |
  14. maggie

    I think its great. Let's emphasize how the GOP has done absolutely nothing for the American people and want to sue the president for doing so. In an election year, let's show voters how much your representative in Congress has done for you. LOL

    July 2, 2014 08:23 am at 8:23 am |
  15. Dr. Brown

    With Hillary being a shoe in, and the vitriol you see from the gop towards her, can we really afford to have gop control in house or senate, eight more years if nothing but hatred? Wake up folks can you trust a party that would do the things they do in an attempt to gain power, can't take? much more, our economy isn't strong enough for gop policies

    July 2, 2014 08:24 am at 8:24 am |
  16. Alvin Cavanaugh

    President Obama has finally gone too far. I believe he should be sued. I believe that he should be threatened with impeachment. He has over-stepped the bounds of executive privileges. He is trying to run this country by a dictatorship and the American people aren't going to stand for it. I am a dis-abled Vietnam veteran and it breaks my heart to see what I and, so many others, have fought for just go down the drain. 58,000 Vietnam veterans came home in body bags.

    July 2, 2014 08:24 am at 8:24 am |
  17. Unbelievable

    Thank you Mr. President. The silent majority stands behind you.

    July 2, 2014 08:26 am at 8:26 am |
  18. Bill from Long Island

    I will definitely NOT be inviting Barack Obama to my 4th of July barbecue.

    July 2, 2014 08:27 am at 8:27 am |
  19. AngryJohnny

    I hope they do suit him. I wish they would highlight the Senates in ability to vote on bills passed by the House. THERE is big reason congress doesn't seem to be doing anything. NOTHING gets voted on in the Senate unless Prince Harry Reid says so.

    July 2, 2014 08:27 am at 8:27 am |
  20. nhguy

    political parties not co-operating – hardly news in our 238 year history. i voted twice for mr. obama thinking his community organizer background could help get things done. i wonder if he taught this approach in his uchicago constitutional class. pretty sad.

    July 2, 2014 08:27 am at 8:27 am |
  21. Anonymous

    i don't understand how anyone who is not a 1% could be republican

    July 2, 2014 08:27 am at 8:27 am |
  22. vandal

    Yeah Boner....sue him...then explain why you didnt sue W when he used executive orders more than Pres Obama has and you said and did Nothing.....u bunch of sore losers. YES ur party lost to a black man....twice so get over it and move on

    July 2, 2014 08:28 am at 8:28 am |
  23. PHgil

    Obama is doing what he can while Congress is: investigating, suing, politicking,everything but legislating. We the people should be suing Congress!

    July 2, 2014 08:28 am at 8:28 am |
  24. Jim

    King Obama. He thinks he is in Kenya. To bad the American people are too busy watching American Idol to know we will have a middle east environment here in the next 10 years.

    July 2, 2014 08:28 am at 8:28 am |
  25. Bill

    IMaybe he would prefer being IMPEACHED!!!

    July 2, 2014 08:28 am at 8:28 am |
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