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. BR

    wrong usage of the word harp

    July 1, 2014 09:11 pm at 9:11 pm |
  2. conrad

    Obama to Republicans: 'So sue me'
    .
    LMAO you can only love the guy

    July 1, 2014 09:11 pm at 9:11 pm |
  3. billbfit

    King Obuma must go!!! I'd rather have King George back over this clown.

    July 1, 2014 09:12 pm at 9:12 pm |
  4. Will

    Wasn't Obama supposed to be a constitutional scholar? Must have slept through the part about separation of powers.

    July 1, 2014 09:13 pm at 9:13 pm |
  5. Anonymous

    I'm a republican and I am completely disappointed in our republican politicians...never mind the democrats... I don't want to even get started. They are all cut from the same cloth.

    July 1, 2014 09:14 pm at 9:14 pm |
  6. craigorie

    Boehner's full of it. He's just threatening a lawsuit to satisfy the base. He knows impeachment is out of the question as there are no grounds for it. So, do your thing Mr. President....Congress certainly doesn't get anything done.

    July 1, 2014 09:14 pm at 9:14 pm |
  7. TLORop

    They don't have a case. 18 presidents have more used executive orders than Obama. FDR holds the record with more than 3,500 E O's. Their own beloved Reagan used it more than twice as much as Obama has.

    July 1, 2014 09:16 pm at 9:16 pm |
  8. TheSadTruth

    Every GOP legislator in Congress should be sued by the American people for their obstruction and do-nothing attitude.

    July 1, 2014 09:16 pm at 9:16 pm |
  9. A Republican supporter of President Obama

    The GOP has no spine to work with our President and spend most of their time crying or obstructing everything the President supports. The GOP are the ones who should be sued for failing to execute their jobs to serve the people.

    I would also dare the GOP to sue me for my vote and support of this president because clearly they are delusional.

    July 1, 2014 09:17 pm at 9:17 pm |
  10. G_Edwards

    Maybe Pres Obama will start acting Presidential by his 8th year.

    Childish, whiny, pouty,...when is he going to grow up???

    .

    July 1, 2014 09:18 pm at 9:18 pm |
  11. eugenedanker

    I want to see the President go for the Guinness Book of Records and enact as many Executive orders as he possible can.

    July 1, 2014 09:19 pm at 9:19 pm |
  12. A Republican supporter of President Obama

    The GOP proves time and time again that the party line of obstruction is a waste of time. Now they want to sue our president for doing something. He is the president he does not report to congress he reports to us and we voted for him. President Obama has my support over any GOPer – end of story.

    July 1, 2014 09:19 pm at 9:19 pm |
  13. Uncle Sam

    Obama, the US lost the cup..move on.

    July 1, 2014 09:22 pm at 9:22 pm |
  14. mrl

    now isn't that childish of a president... besides which – almost everything he does gets reversed on constitutional grounds after long expensive paths... ALL at the taxpayer's detriment because he couldn't give a darn about us.

    July 1, 2014 09:23 pm at 9:23 pm |
  15. mrl

    isn't that a childish way for a president to behave... all at the taxpayer's expense...

    July 1, 2014 09:23 pm at 9:23 pm |
  16. Bill

    not sure what middle class families have to do with amnesty. This guy is so in over his head.

    July 1, 2014 09:25 pm at 9:25 pm |
  17. these republicans

    say they want to cut wasteful spending...
    ...then go on to use tax payer money in a lawsuit they are likely to lose. Boehner, use your own personal finances and leave our revenue out of it.

    July 1, 2014 09:25 pm at 9:25 pm |
  18. william fitzwater

    their playing Mr Presidents new song weird al yankovich some "SUE !"

    July 1, 2014 09:25 pm at 9:25 pm |
  19. Mark

    There he goes again. Leading from behind. Lol.

    July 1, 2014 09:26 pm at 9:26 pm |
  20. Light In The Dark

    Obama is right.
    Fixing the damage from the Bush administration,
    is like salmon swimming upstream..
    Slow and steady wins the race.

    July 1, 2014 09:27 pm at 9:27 pm |
  21. JSB

    Dear Obama,

    You have not been elected KING or DICTATOR in CHIEF regardless of what you may have thought.

    July 1, 2014 09:27 pm at 9:27 pm |
  22. Alex

    I'll sue everybody in this country !

    July 1, 2014 09:28 pm at 9:28 pm |
  23. ted

    Shame Obama has no clue how to lead or bring together people. Pres Clinton did not do any of this crap despite being empeached. Obama is an out of touch clueless ideaolog. Oh well we survived Carter we will survive obama. Only 2 yes left.

    July 1, 2014 09:29 pm at 9:29 pm |
  24. JQuigg

    Good for him.

    July 1, 2014 09:29 pm at 9:29 pm |
  25. sandiego1969

    It is not the parent who is at fault when they stop a child from running with scissors. Mr Obama needs to learn compromise does not mean republicans caving in to everything he wants. He needs to learn about playing well with others. His first term when both houses of congress were in his pocket gave him an even more distorted view of governing and he needs to get it out of his head.

    July 1, 2014 09:29 pm at 9:29 pm |
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