UPDATE, 11:57 a.m. PT: The chaos in the Republican leadership continues as a plan to appoint an interim leader was shelved and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) made plans for a new vote.
Jordan, who failed to become the chairman after two votes, agreed to a plan today that includes a resolution to give the current interim chairman, Patrick McHenry, additional powers until January. Jordan would have still been in the speaker race, but that would have given him more time to beat the incumbents, who numbered 22 as of Wednesday.
But during the closed-door Republican conference, there was a revolt among some members, especially those on the far right, who saw it as a coalition plan that would give the Democrats additional power.
After the preliminary speaker schedule was released, “we decided we didn’t want to go there,” Jordan told reporters. “I’m still running for speaker and I plan to be there, get the votes and win this race.” He said he wanted to talk to those who were left behind.
For most of the morning and afternoon, dozens of reporters lined the dimly lit hallway in the basement of the Capitol, just outside the Republican rally. According to various reports, there were sometimes heated discussions. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said he tried to speak at the microphone and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who led the effort to oust him, “tried to interrupt him. Basically I told him to sit down and he sat down.
“I think the whole conference was yelling at him. I think the whole country will be screaming at Matt Gaetz right now,” McCarthy said.
Resistance fighters also complained of receiving death threats and intimidation after refusing to support Jordan in Wednesday’s vote. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) said she received “credible death threats and a barrage of threatening phone calls.”
With the tentative speaker schedule overturned and Jordan still unable to get the votes, there currently appears to be no other plan to get the House back up and running.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) said, “It’s so complex, with so many moving parts, that I don’t think it’s manageable for them.” He also said he would advise Democrats to move on from Republicans to demand concessions for their votes – “you never give them away for free.”
He said, “I think the answer is you have to go back to the drawing board and find a consensus candidate who can work with us, who hasn’t been a bomber throughout his career, who actually has some legislative powers. has.” [expertise] shown and will try to work with all elements in Congress to get things done. Are there such people? Yes, but Jim Jordan is not one of them.”
BEFORE, 9:10 AM PT: Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is not seeking a third vote for speaker of the House, but is instead backing a plan that would give interim Speaker Patrick McHenry an interim chairmanship to get the chamber back up and running.
It is unclear whether there are even enough votes to pass this resolution. Some Republicans who left a closed meeting expressed anger and frustration.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) called the plan a “huge mistake” and told reporters that it “runs the Republicans down” and hands power to Democrats. He predicted that more than half of Republicans would vote no and that “it will take Democrats to make it happen, and it will be a historic betrayal of our Republican voters if we agree to it.”
“We don’t deserve a majority if we agree to a plan to give Democrats control of the House,” Banks said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who launched the effort to unseat Speaker Kevin McCarthy, told reporters he also opposes the plan. “I’m against Speaker-light, I’m against Bud Light, I think it’s a constitutional affront not to elect the Speaker of the House,” he said.
Democrats also met today and there was speculation that some lawmakers would support the plan.
According to the plan, Jordan would apparently still be on the ballot for speaker, but the vote would be pushed back to January. He failed to get the 217 votes needed to win the presidency and support for him fell in Wednesday’s vote. Some claim GOP members complained of receiving death threats and other harassment after refusing to support him. Jordan condemned the threats on X/Twitter on Wednesday, but his opponents had already complained last week of a pressure campaign by right-wing media to get them to support him.
There is more to come.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
