Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., one of the leaders of a GOP "moderate revolt" on Monday, says he can
never forgive Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas , for leading an effort to defund Obamacare as part of a budget resolution.
"This was a doomed process from the start," King told CNN on Monday. King said he went along with a vote to defund the Affordable Care Act because he was told it would get the ball rolling and prevent the government from shutting down.
Urgent: Do You Support Sen. Ted Cruz's Efforts to Defund Obamacare? Vote Here.
"It's obvious now there is no end in sight,"
King told CNN. "This is a fool's errand."
King and other GOP House members attempted to pass a "clean resolution" to keep the government operating for six weeks while further discussions were held, but they failed in the GOP-dominated House.
House Speaker John Boehner made personal appeals to members to vote with him and let him play things out. "He didn't say how or why," King said.
King said Boehner did not apply pressure, but said he believes his side could have gotten about 20 more votes. He said some responded to Boehner's appeal as a friend and others may have feared their vote might have looked like they were trying to keep the health insurance subsidies for their staff members, which conservatives such as Cruz have criticized.
King,
who has had harsh words for Cruz and other tea party members of Congress before, said he believes they actually want a shutdown.
"They live in these narrow echo chambers where they listen to themselves and their tea party friends, and that keeps them going, forgetting that the rest of the country thinks we're crazy," King said. "I can never forgive Ted Cruz for what he's done and the people who stood with him against their party."
Though he expects Congress to be in session all night and miss the midnight deadline for funding government, King said he thinks a resolution will come by Tuesday morning.
Urgent: Do You Support Sen. Ted Cruz's Efforts to Defund Obamacare? Vote Here.