Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the House Freedom Caucus chairman, said Friday that the Biden administration is using a "smear-and-fear campaign" to discredit the group's new spending demands.
Speaking to The Hill, the Pennsylvania Republican accused President Joe Biden of misrepresenting the group's proposal for slashing spending in exchange for raising the debt limit.
"I didn't realize the president was now going on his comedy tour, because yesterday was the joke of his budget; and we thought that was as non-serious as anything," Perry said.
"For him to mention things like firefighters, police officers, and health care — obviously, either he didn't watch the press conference, he can't read, or someone is, you know, got their hand up his back and they're speaking for him, because those are just abject lies," he continued. "It's the same old, you know, smear-and-fear campaign by the Biden administration."
His comments follow the rollout of the group's proposal, which includes capping overall discretionary spending at fiscal 2022 levels for a decade. According to Perry, the move would free up $131 billion and allow for 1% growth year-over-year.
"What we're talking about is going back to pre-pandemic levels of spending," Perry said.
On Friday afternoon, Biden went after the Freedom Caucus plan. The list of changes, he said, detailed 25% reduction of spending other than for defense and precluded additional taxes on the wealthy.
"I don't know what there's much to negotiate on," the president said at a press conference, adding that "their entire program does not lower the deficit one single penny."
Biden also said of cutting spending to all programs other than defense: "That means cops, firefighters; it means health care."
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