Gaetz triggers GOP showdown over McCarthy

Speaker's allies rush to his defense

Oct 03, 2023

Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for October 3, 2023:

New California Senator to be sworn in.
An Indiana Republican threatens to resign.
Republicans quickly backtrack on a lawmaker pay raise.

SPEAKER. After making threats for months, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) went to the House floor last night and introduced his resolution to push Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post, a historic effort to depose the top Republican in Congress. Democrats laughed as Gaetz left the floor, while Republicans gritted their teeth over the very public infighting inside the GOP. "Bring it on," McCarthy said defiantly.

MOTION TO VACATE. From just off the House floor in the Speaker’s Lobby, I watched Gaetz offer his motion. At one point, Gaetz conferred with the Parliamentarian about his plans, as the Florida Republican pulled a folded copy of his resolution from his jacket. It reminded me of Rep. George Norris of Nebraska, who held his resolution in his jacket pocket for weeks, waiting for the right time to challenge Speaker Joe Cannon in 1910.

MR. SPEAKER. "I rise to give notice of my intent to raise a question of the privileges of the House,” Gaetz said in the Well of the House. His resolution was simple: "Resolved, that the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant." That triggered the privileged consideration of the Gaetz challenge; the House must take some action on it by Wednesday.
OUTSIDE. Surrounded by a mob of reporters in the dark on the Capitol steps, Gaetz said it was time for GOP lawmakers to challenge McCarthy. "I don't have confidence in him anymore," Gaetz declared. "And I think a requisite number of Republicans have lost confidence."
GOP. But fellow conservatives were not exactly rushing to stand with Gaetz. "I just feel like we could have done this significantly better," Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said while watching Gaetz outside. Most Republicans sidestepped when asked if they would support the Gaetz motion. "To be determined," said Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), standing next to Donalds.
TOO EARLY. Others were not interested. "I think it's premature," said Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). "There's no long train of abuses at the moment," Massie said, referring to McCarthy - but Massie said there are clearly problems within the GOP. "There's a long train of suspicion and mistrust."

SUPPORT. Allies of the Speaker spent Monday churning out praise for McCarthy in written statements and on social media. "Tested and proven," said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. "I stand with Kevin," tweeted Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH).

FED UP. There were many signs that Republicans have had it with Gaetz. "Stop the absurd drama," counseled Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). "Matt Gaetz trying to get rid of Speaker McCarthy is like rooting for the iceberg when you’re standing on the Titanic," said Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA).
THIS WEEK. But Republicans know they will have to deal with this either today or on Wednesday. “I think a motion to table would prevail,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), referring to a procedural effort to kill the Gaetz motion without debate.
OTHER PARTY. Democrats were not exactly offering McCarthy a life preserver. “I do not believe Democrats should provide any support to the Speaker,” Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) told us just off the House floor. “We owe him nothing.”
TODAY. House Democrats will meet this morning behind closed doors to talk about the McCarthy situation. Think about it for a second - should they take advantage of this, and bounce out McCarthy?
Leave a comment

WHAT’S NEXT. What will happen on the resolution? McCarthy certainly seems to have most Republicans on his side. But you never know what an effort like this could cause in the longer term. Think of a family fight - once cracks occur, the battle lines can quickly shift. I wouldn’t rule out anything inside the GOP.

SPARTZ. After a bizarre Saturday session in the House, there was even more weird stuff going on at the Capitol yesterday. Maybe one of the oddest press releases I've ever seen was issued by Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN), who has been making increasingly outraged statements about GOP leaders and her desire to leave Congress.

STATEMENT. "If Congress does not pass a debt commission this year to move the needle on the crushing national debt and inflation,” Spartz wrote in a statement, “I will not continue sacrificing my children for this circus with a complete absence of leadership, vision, and spine," as she threatened to resign.
JAN. 6. Last month, Spartz yelled at the Attorney General about Jan. 6, claiming that there were many tourists who showed up with 'strollers and kids.' She denounced the FBI investigation as akin to the Russian KGB, part of the GOP argument that Jan. 6 defendants are being unfairly persecuted.

BAD DAY. Democrats were also watching some bizarre actions in their own ranks, courtesy of Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY). After getting roasted for pulling a fire alarm in one of the House office buildings on Saturday - accidentally, he says - his office's response to the furor deteriorated on Monday into an embarrassing series of missteps that would make any public relations executive hide under a desk.

TALKING POINTS. Bowman's staff decided to send out talking points to fellow Democrats - of course, that leaked immediately, and they created even more problems when Bowman's staff suggested that Democrats attack "Nazi members" of the Republican Party.
BOWMAN. "I just became aware that in our messaging guidance, there was inappropriate use of the term Nazi without my consent," Bowman wrote on social media, as the New York Democrat basically dumped on his staff. (Pro tip - if you work in politics, do not use the word 'Nazi' at all.)
GOP. Bowman has quickly become a political piñata for Republicans, as he keeps giving them more and more material. "It's terrifying to think this guy was ever a school principal," said Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), as GOP lawmakers mocked Bowman’s explanation.
USCP. Meanwhile, the Capitol Police put out a statement that seemed to corroborate Bowman’s explanation - that he was trying to use a door which is normally open, in order to vote. “On security video, a man was seen trying to exit the door in the Cannon Building and then pulling the fire alarm,” police said.
CANNON. One thing about this ridiculous episode is the fire alarm that Bowman pulled - it does *not* ring in the Capitol. No fire alarm in any Congressional office building ever results in a U.S. Capitol evacuation.

GOLDEN STATE. The Senate will get back to full strength today, as Laphonza Butler will be sworn in to replace the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who died last week. Gov. Gavin Newsom had long promised to choose a Black woman if Feinstein died, and he did that - picking the head of the lobbying group EMILY's List.

BUTLER. "No one will ever measure up to the legacy of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, but I will do my best," Butler said Monday, "by committing to work for women and girls, workers and unions, struggling parents, and all of California. I am ready to serve."
FREE STATE. But there were some odd notes about Butler which surfaced immediately. Evidently, Butler wasn't even registered to vote in California at the time of her choice - federal election documents show she lives outside D.C. in Maryland - but owns a home in California.

SCHEDULE. The funeral for Feinstein will be held on Thursday in San Francisco. That's certain to draw a number of members from Capitol Hill, and has already prompted the Senate to scrap legislative business on that day. It means Senators will work today and tomorrow - and then go home until October 16.

GRUMBLING. “New record for shortest Senate work week ever thanks to Majority Leader Schumer,” grumbled Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX).

SPENDING. While Republicans fight over Speaker McCarthy's future, the House will continue work today on government spending bills for 2024. Lawmakers will first debate a bill funding energy and water projects around the nation, which is chock full of what Congress calls, 'Community Project Funding.' (You might call it pork barrel spending.)

EARMARKS. Back in charge this year, House Republicans moved away from their ban on budget earmarks, and embraced the idea of bringing home the bacon. You an see the construction projects - sponsored by lawmakers - that would be funded under the Army Corps of Engineers.
CHICKAMAUGA. The lawmaker in charge of this bill, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), gets a big prize. Right there on the first page of the Community Project Funding list is $236.8 million to fund construction work for the Chickamauga Lock on the Tennessee River.

PAY RAISE. After Saturday's floor debate dustup over a possible pay raise for Congress stuffed in the House CR - where Democrats accurately noted that the GOP left the door open for a pay raise - Republicans are moving to make sure there is no repeat of that this week in debate on a spending bill for the Legislative Branch.

BILL. Originally, the House bill to fund the operations of Congress did not block a cost of living increase for lawmakers. A ban has been in place since 2009, when their salary was set at $174,000 a year. Why Republicans thought they could get a pay raise through Congress right now - I have no idea.
RULES. Last night, the House Rules Committee snuffed out any idea of a pay hike, as the panel voted to specifically block any pay increase in 2024. That will be 'deemed' approved as part of the Legislative Branch funding bill. (No one will have to go on the record about a pay raise.)

BORDER BATTLE. I've been telling you for a while that Democrats in Congress would sooner or later have to do something about the surge in illegal immigration from Mexico. The White House is now hearing more and more from friendly Blue states that action is needed - as it's not just Republicans making those calls.

LAND OF LINCOLN. The latest salvo came from the Democratic Governor of Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, who told President Biden on Monday that something must change. "The humanitarian crisis is overwhelming our ability to provide aid," Priztker wrote. "The federal government's lack of intervention and coordination at the border has created an untenable situation for Illinois."
SUPPLEMENTAL. President Biden recently asked Congress to approve $4 billion to help with extra efforts at the border. Lawmakers did nothing about that over the weekend when they approved a short-term funding plan until November 17. Maybe you can figure out where I'm going with this.
DEAL. Democrats want money for Ukraine. Republicans want money and policy changes on the border. I don't think it's too crazy to say that maybe it could form the outlines of some kind of legislative deal. We’ll see what happens.

RAP SHEET. A Texas man has pleaded guilty to charges related to Jan. 6. Adam Jackson came by plane to Washington to protest the 2020 election results. He capped off his tourist visit at the Capitol by throwing large items at police and then ramming officers with a stolen police riot shield.

DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION. We finally know why details of one Jan. 6 case have been kept secret - defendant Samuel Lazar has been cooperating with the feds on other cases. In a filing on Monday, the feds and Lazar's lawyer said they do not object to unsealing his case. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

MUSE OF HISTORY. October 3, 1814. Grappling with the aftermath of the British attack on Washington, D.C. which resulted in the burning of the Capitol and White House, the House on this date voted to study the idea of temporarily moving the seat of government somewhere else. The vote on the plan was tied 68-68 - which left the deciding vote to Speaker Langdon Cheves of South Carolina. Cheves voted yes, arguing the "District could not be defended except at immense expense."

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House meets at 10 am.

The Senate is back at 3 pm.

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