Peter King near tears, threatens to quit Republican Party for blocking Sandy relief

“Boehner is the one,” the New York Republican explained. “He walked off the floor. He refused to tell us why. He refused to give us any indication or warning whatsoever… I’m just saying, these people have no problem finding New York — these Republicans — when they’re trying to raise money. They raise millions of dollars in New York City and New Jersey, they sent Gov. [Chris] Christie around the country raising millions of dollars for them. I’m saying, anyone from New York and New Jersey who contributes one penny to the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee should have their head examined. I would not give one penny to these people based on what they did to us last night.”

CNN host Victor Blackwell wondered if King’s disgust over scuttling the hurricane relief was enough to make him leave the Republican Party.

“I’m going to do what I have to do,” King insisted. “I’m going to be independent minded. Sometimes, as John Kennedy said, party loyalty demands too much. And I would — as all of us do — often, you give the benefit of the doubt to your party. We are a two-party system. But I’m over that because as the very least, you’re expected to be treated fairly… When your people are literally freezing in the winter and their without food and their without shelter and they’re without clothing and my own party refuses to help them, then why should I help the Republican Party?”