When Rep. John Boehner assumed the speakership, he said he didn't want to be an arm-twister for votes, and that he wanted the people's voice to be heard clearly. A nice sentiment! But now he that needs votes for his debt ceiling plan today, that's all over. How will he screw over dissidents? Let's look at the case of fellow Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.

Jordan is head of the Republican Study Committee, an ultra-conservative policy wing with some clout among the House Republican rank-and-file. When Boehner released his must-pass debt plan earlier this week, Jordan came out strongly against it. Then the RSC's executive director, Paul Teller, was caught leaking seditious emails against the plan to conservative interest groups. This was enough to shut Jordan up.

But that may not be all the trouble he's getting into for defying the Speaker at such a crucial time. The Columbus Dispatch reports today that out of nowhere, Jordan's district is suddenly under consideration for elimination now! Isn't that strange?

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan's open defiance of Speaker John Boehner's efforts to solve the debt-ceiling crisis could cost the Urbana Republican his safe seat in next year's election.

Two Republican sources deeply involved in configuring new Ohio congressional districts confirmed to The Dispatch today that Jordan's disloyalty to Boehner has put him in jeopardy of being zeroed out of a district.

"Jim Jordan's boneheadedness has kind of informed everybody's thinking," said one of the sources, both of whom spoke only on condition of anonymity. "The easiest option for everybody has presented itself."

Jordan's rural 11-county district, which has a 60 percent Republican voter index, "is easy to cannibalize because it stretches so far," said the other source.

Boehner has issued a statement claiming to be great friends with Jim Jordan. Still, it's interesting that this example of impending draconian punishment happened to leak on the afternoon before a huge vote that will help determine the legacy of Ohio congressman and Speaker John Boehner.

[Image via AP]