RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
Gaetz Vows Far Right Republicans Will Put McCarthy in a ‘Straitjacket’ if He Does Not Withdraw – Then Votes for Trump
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), the ringleader behind the “Never Kevin” McCarthy movement that has shut down half the legislative branch for days, is vowing he will continue his attack on the GOP House Majority Leader and derail his attempt to become Speaker.
Right now the House is in the middle of its eighth vote for Speaker of the House, which some of the major networks are no longer airing in full. U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) this time nominated McCarthy, as U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) reminded Republicans that for every previous vote Democrats were united one-hundred percent behind Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for Speaker. In every one of the previous seven votes all 212 Democrats voted unanimously for the New York Democrat.
212. 212. 212. 212. 212. 212. 212. pic.twitter.com/suxipg1gy7
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2023
Rep. Clark nominated Democratic Minority Leader for Speaker of the House once again.
Katherine Clark is very very good at this pic.twitter.com/zMM4bykgaP
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2023
Meanwhile, CBS News’ chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa reports U.S. Rep. Gaetz “tells reporters just now that this all ends either with McCarthy deciding to ‘withdraw from the race’ or agrees to a ‘straitjacket’ agreement that fully constrains him as speaker.”
Punchbowl News co-founder Jake Sherman adds that House Republicans “may have a closed party meeting this afternoon to discuss the rules negotiations.”
Presumably that would take place after the eighth or ninth vote.
“GOP leadership would like to adjourn for some period of time,” Sherman adds, “but the rank and file wants an update on the status of the rules talks.”
Pointing to still more fracturing among the GOP caucus, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), one of the 20 opposing McCarthy, did not vote for their alternative candidate, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), but threw a new wrench into the works.
She voted for U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK).
Boebert makes a big show out of voting for Kevin Hern pic.twitter.com/cnSgq2rSmW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 5, 2023
This was apparently not entirely unexpected.
#OK01 @repkevinhern was just nominated for Speaker of the House by Lauren Boebert.
I talked to him earlier and asked if he would accept the position:
“If I hear my name, it’s something I’ll have to think and pray about before deciding if it’s a job I’ll run for.”
Full quote: pic.twitter.com/E6j0V7v9wU
— Reese Gorman (@reesejgorman) January 5, 2023
As for who Congressman Gaetz voted for?
“Donald John Trump.”
Twice.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) votes for Donald Trump for Speaker of the House. pic.twitter.com/Kia8NNNqOv
— The Recount (@therecount) January 5, 2023
That move comes just one day after Gaetz appeared to mock Trump publicly, defying the ex-president and declaring, “Supporting McCarthy is the worst Human Resources decision President Trump has ever made,” then adding, “Sad!”
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