Written by: A Hamilton

Just days before his retirement from Congress, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Col.) was kicked off the conservative House Freedom Caucus by its remaining members. The decision was delivered by Freedom Caucus chair Bob Good (R-Va.) by phone.

Buck, who announced in November that he would not seek re-election, shocked many of his colleagues in Congress. While his removal from the conservative group has no practical impact on his final votes or retirement, it does serve as a public kick in the pants as Buck exits the political stage.

The former prosecutor, who has been in office since 2014, has been vocal in his criticism of fellow Republicans spreading “baseless claims” about the 2020 election and unfounded corruption allegations against President Joe Biden.

According to Buck, Rep. Good cited a technical reason for his removal, stating that he had missed three consecutive meetings. However, Buck, while speaking to HuffPost, points out that there are more than a dozen members who have also missed three meetings, raising doubts about the true motive behind his expulsion.

Unnamed members of the Freedom Caucus have claimed that Buck "hasn't been with conservatives on several major issues."

This sentiment may stem from Buck's vote to remove former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the speaker's office, as well as his challenge to fellow Republicans to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square.

READ MORE:

• AN EVEN UGLIER WAR OF WORDS ERUPTS BETWEEN COLORADO CONGRESSMEN KEN BUCK AND REP. LAUREN BOEBERT

• THE WAR OF ATTRITION FOR THE U.S. HOUSE: A REFLECTION ON REP. KEN BUCK'S SPEEDY RESIGNATION

• REP. KEN BUCK'S RETIREMENT: A REFLECTION ON DIVISIVENESS AND THE NEED FOR COMMON GROUND

• KEN BUCK IS UNWILLING TO DO THE JOB HIS CONSTITUENTS WANT, HOLD MAYORKAS ACCOUNTABLE

Last summer, the group voted to remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) after her public dispute with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.). These instances raise questions about the criteria used to determine membership in the conservative caucus.

Buck expressed disappointment over his removal, highlighting his role as a founding member of the Freedom Caucus and his belief in its mission to promote regular order in the House and ensure a transparent legislative process.

It’s unclear if the 4th Congressional District, Buck’s now former district, would agree with Rep. Ken Buck (Ret.)