Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz is sounding the alarm over swamp Republican’s attempts to install Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.
Congress is reconvening to vote on whether or not McCarthy should become House Speaker and it is unknown whether or not he has the votes.
“House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told colleagues that “I’ve earned this job” in a defiant closed-door speech ahead of what is expected to be a contentious vote for speaker,” the Washington Post reports. “Shortly before the new House was set to convene, McCarthy’s GOP foes remained adamant that they would oppose his speakership, which could lead to multiple ballots before a leader of the chamber emerges.”
The contentious battle for House Speaker is causing many rifts within the Republican party.
Rep. Gaetz revealed that things are so bad that establishment Republicans are threatening those who do not vote for McCarthy with removal from House committees.
BREAKING: Matt Gaetz says Republican House members were threatened with removal from committees if they didn’t vote for Kevin McCarthy.
The swamp is getting scared.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 3, 2023
“But we were threatened by my committee chairman to be on the Arms Services, Mr. Rodgers, that if we did not vote for Mr. McCarthy that we would be removed from committees,” Gaetz said.
“Our position is that if Kevin McCarthy is the speaker of the house and we don’t have an ability to ensure that there is umf behind the agenda and energy behind our oversight, then our committee assignments don’t mean that much anyway,” he slammed.
“I’m not here to participate in some puppet show where we pass a bunch of messaging bills, send them to the Senate, watch them die, fail to use leverage and don’t hold the Biden Administration accountable,” Gaetz said. “I don’t want to relive the Benghazi experience where it’s just theatre pretending to be oversight”
WATCH:
BREAKING: @MattGaetz says members were threatened with removal from committees if they don’t vote for Kevin McCarthy for Speaker.
“I’m not here to participate in some puppet show.. I don’t want to relive the Benghazi experience where it’s just theatre pretending to be oversight” pic.twitter.com/arK1HSJMsi
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) January 3, 2023
Here is another clip:
Rep. @MattGaetz on opposing Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker: “If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise.” pic.twitter.com/2hPDMF1RqB
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) January 3, 2023
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