An unelected leftist bureaucrat who no one voted for is single-handedly gutting President Trump’s signature bill with the stroke of a pen, and calls for her termination are emerging. But the Senate Majority Leader is not willing to go that far.
On Thursday, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough struck down several key features of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful bill,” including defunding of Medicaid for illegal aliens and defunding “gender-affirming care” under Medicaid and CHIP, citing the Byrd rule.
MacDonough also axed the Medicare Provider tax, which complicates the Senate GOP’s math on the spending cuts it needs to pass the legislation.
This is the second time MacDonough has removed key parts of Trump’s bill. As the Gateway Pundit reported, MacDonough over the weekend struck down several GOP provisions in the bill by applying the ‘Byrd Rule.’
Here are the four key items MacDonough rejected:
- The federal government defunding sanctuary cities
- Defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (DOGE targeted this agency)
- The EPA’s effort to roll back Electric Vehicle mandates
- A proposal to restrict federal courts from issuing nationwide injunctions
MacDonough is a partisan hack who was appointed back in 2012 when Harry Reid ran the Senate. Why is she still in charge, considering Republicans control the Senate?
Fortunately, Republicans are under no obligation to abide by MacDonough’s activism because her opinion is merely advisory. For example, the Hill notes the Senate can hold a simple-majority vote on the floor to establish a new precedent to expand the scope of what is eligible under reconciliation.
The Senate GOP can also fire MacDonough and replace her with another parliamentarian with a simple majority vote. Given the Senate has 53 Republicans, they can afford to lose three, provided Vice President JD Vance is available to break the tie.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is calling for the GOP to take this exact step.
The WOKE Senate Parliamentarian, who was appointed by Harry Reid and advised Al Gore, just STRUCK DOWN a provision BANNING illegals from stealing Medicaid from American citizens.
This is a perfect example of why Americans hate THE SWAMP.
Unelected bureaucrats think they know…
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) June 26, 2025
But Senate Majority Leader John Thune has responded by rolling over.
“That (firing or overruling MacDonough) would not be a good outcome for getting a bill done,” Thune told the Washington Examiner.
How pathetic.
