BachmannLast week Politico reported that the House Republicans’ minority leader, Rep. John Boehner, and whip, Rep. Eric Cantor were “wary” of the damage Rep. Michele Bachmann could cause to the party because of her inflammatory statements. The two rushed to the support of Bachmann in a letter on the official blog of the House Minority Leader on Tuesday — only to quickly remove the letter.

Boehner and Cantor were writing to disgruntled Republican blogger Andy Aplikowski, a resident of Bachmann’s district, who had taken the two to task for the Politico article.

“Sources say,” Politico wrote, “they have been especially wary of the possible damage inflicted on the party’s reputation by bomb-throwing Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who last fall called for an investigation into whether members of Congress are ‘pro-America or anti-America.’”

Boehner and Cantor strongly disagreed with Politico’s characterization. “We wanted to respond to your letter to us last week and to assure you that regardless of what inside-the-beltway media writes or what unnamed “sources” it quotes, we are proud to serve with Congresswoman Michele Bachmann,” they wrote.

But shortly after posting it to the House Minority Leader website…

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…the letter disappeared:

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But Aplikowski has the whole exchange on his blog.

Here’s the full text of Boehner’s and Cantor’s letter:

Dear Andy,

We wanted to respond to your letter to us last week and to assure you that regardless of what inside-the-beltway media writes or what unnamed “sources” it quotes, we are proud to serve with Congresswoman Michele Bachmann.

She has been a consistent and strong voice for the American taxpayer in Washington from the day she took office. And, despite the taunts and insults that the media elites and liberals hurl at her, she never wavers in her commitment to fiscal responsibility.

Republicans in Congress – buoyed by the American people who have risen up against the Democrat tide in Washington – are fighting against bad policies. Their health care prescription is bad policy. Their cap and trade national energy tax is bad policy. Their tax-and-spend agenda is bad policy. We’re strong in our opposition and vibrant in the alternatives we offer.

Republicans have real solutions. And, that includes Congresswoman Bachmann, who has introduced positive solutions for health care reform, budget reform, energy independence, and more. We’re the Party of real hope and change.

When the other side can’t come up with arguments to defend their policies, they turn to personal attacks against their detractors. Congresswoman Bachmann stands shoulder to shoulder with her constituents and that really seems to irk some on the left. We fully expect that despite the best attempts of the media and the liberals, Michelle will continue to be a strong voice for freedom, smaller government, and better solutions.

Sincerely,
John Boehner
Republican Leader

Eric Cantor
Republican Whip