Who is behind Kevin McCarthy’s ouster as US House Speaker?
It only took 48 hours. Representative Keven McCarthy[1] of California’s speakership had always
been a Pyrrhic victory. His most outspoken opponent, during the 15 rounds of
voting to secure this position (which required a shiatanic bargain - he agreed
to a far-right demand that a single member could offer a resolution for his
removal from office). Congressman Matt
Gaetz (R-FL) motioned for McCarthy to vacate the chair, on the 3rd
of October, and thus ended Mcarthy’s tumultuous tenure – the 3rd
shortest in American history (269 days). This debacle also marks the 1st
time the Speaker of the House of Representatives (the lower chamber of
Congress), third in line of succession for the Presidency of the United States
of America has been booted out of office.
48 hours from start to finish. The 216-to-210 vote, saw eight Republicans congresspersons voting with 208 Democrats. Gaetz had been in ardent opposition of McCarthy’s speakership and stood in absentia in the 15th round of voting which allowed for the Speaker to be seated. The agreed concessions where too onerous and provide the speaker with little wiggle room. Once Gaetz who’d agitated from the start filed his motion it took all of 48 hours to bring the third shortest speakership to an end.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries[2] and the democratic caucus voted unanimously for McCarthy’s vacatur along with eight House Republicans:
Ten term GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has been named speaker in the interim[3]. One of the lead contenders for the vacant speakership is Majority Leader Steve Scalise[4]. However, Scalise reportedly called himself ‘David Duke without the baggage.’[5] If valid information exist online there appears to be, some degree of, factual basis for this claim. No matter the potential bigoted background of the cancerous[6] House Majority Leader, the plethoric dilemmas any incoming speaker will face are herculean and if recent Congressional history is any tool for prognostication, they’ll not enjoy their Pyrrhic victory either.
Grenée 10.05.2023 17:55Hrs
[1] J. Wallenfeldt. “Kevin McCarthy | Biography & Facts | Britannica.” Www.britannica.com, ©2023 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 5 Oct. 2023, www.britannica.com/biography/Kevin-McCarthy-politician. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
[2] M. Pengelly. “Hakeem Jeffries on Course to Become First Black Party Leader in Congress.” The Guardian, 18 Nov. 2022, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/18/hakeem-jeffries-house-minority-leader-black. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
[3] M. Pratz. “Who Is Rep. Patrick McHenry and Why Is He the Interim House Speaker?” NPR, 4 Oct. 2023, www.npr.org/2023/10/04/1203625399/patrick-mchenry-interim-speaker-kevin-mccarthy-house.
[4] C. Segal & J. Marder. “House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Others Shot at Congressional Baseball Practice.” PBS News Hour, © 1996 - 2023 NewsHour Productions LLC., 14 June 2017, www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/shooting-reported-congressional-softball-practice. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
[5] M. Pengelly & R. A. Vargas. “House Speaker Contender Steve Scalise Reportedly Called Himself “David Duke without the Baggage.”” The Guardian, 3 Oct. 2023, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/03/steve-scalise-house-speaker-republicans?ref=am-quickie.ghost.io. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
[6] M. Talbot & H. Zanona. “House Majority Leader Steve Scalise Announces Blood Cancer Diagnosis, Currently Undergoing Treatment | CNN Politics.” CNN, 29 Aug. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/08/29/politics/steve-scalise-blood-cancer/index.html. Accessed 5 Oct. 2023.
Post. You’ll have to pardon my habit of mining documents with hyperlinks, I’m attempting to shorten expositive length.
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