Amidst growing tension between conservative factions in Washington, Speaker of the House John Boehner has announced his intention to resign from Congress in October, leading some to speculate on whether yesterday’s remarks from Pope Francis played a role in Boehner’s decision. According to the New York Times, Representative Charlie Dent (Republican, Pennsylvania) “blamed the House’s hard-right members, who he said were unwilling to govern.”

“It’s clear to me that the rejectionist members of our conference clearly had an influence on his decision,” Mr. Dent said. “That’s why I’m not happy about what happened today. We still have important issues to deal with, and this will not be easier for the next guy.”

“The dynamics are this,” he continued. “There are anywhere from two to four dozen members who don’t have an affirmative sense of governance. They can’t get to yes. They just can’t get to yes, and so they undermine the ability of the speaker to lead. And not only do they undermine the ability of the speaker to lead, but they undermine the entire Republican conference and also help to weaken the institution of Congress itself. That’s the reality.”

The Times’s editorial board puts a sharper point on the issue, calling Boehner’s exit “a sorry measure of how far right-wing extremism has advanced in immobilizing the Republican Party and undermining the process of healthy government.”