Politics
After 3 days and 11 votes, McCarthy still can’t secure speakership, meets ‘basically all’ Freedom Caucus demands
The House of Representatives has adjourned after a third day without selecting a Republican Speaker. After 11 rounds of ballots, Representative Kevin McCarthy has failed to secure the necessary 218 votes to be elected as Speaker of the House.
However, McCarthy and many of the GOP members who oppose his speakership have come to a tentative deal that meets “basically all” of the demands made by the House Freedom Caucus (HFC) reports Fox News.
The agreements could secure the speakership for McCarthy in the near future, but because some Republican members are expected to be absent on Friday, the deals and finalizing votes to elect the Speaker could be put off until next week.
Representative-elect Michael McCaul of Texas said Thursday he thinks only about half of the 20 Republicans will be swayed by the deal. However, “several GOP and Democratic lawmakers told Fox News” that meeting “basically all” of the demands “could get McCarthy to the 218 votes he needs in the near future.”
Fox News reports:
Under the agreement that’s still under review, McCarthy has agreed to give HFC members a stronger presence on key House committees, impose new controls on spending, and allowing a single member of the House to make a motion to remove the speaker, lawmakers said. That last item was one on which McCarthy initially offered a five-member minimum to “vacate the chair.”
The deal also includes a requirement that legislation must be introduced for 72 hours before it can be passed and a guaranteed vote on term limits, according to Rep.-elect Ralph Norman of South Carolina.
Lawmakers said they believe these changes could get McCarthy exactly 218 votes at some point, after a few remaining issues are settled with a handful of members. That implies that McCarthy’s side expects four GOP lawmakers to remain opposed to him, but he can lose that many and still win the speaker’s gavel if all others support him.
What was supposed to be a hearing on the Secret Service agency’s failures leading to two assassination attempts against President-elect Trump, led to a shouting match on Capitol Hill. Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, “shouted at Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, after the GOP lawmaker lambasted the service for security lapses that made Trump a target of two failed shooting attempts” according to Fox News, which details:
The outburst happened after Fallon showed a picture of Presidents Biden and Trump at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony this year and suggested that as the Special Agent in Charge of that detail, Rowe should have been close enough to Biden to be in the picture. Rowe was not pictured.
“Who is usually at an event like this closest to the President of the United States?” Fallon asked, pointing at the photo. “Were you the special agent in charge of the detail that day?”
Rowe said the security detail was present but out of view of the camera. As he spoke, he became enraged and accused Fallon of using 9/11 for political purposes.
“That is the day where we remember more than 3,000 people that have died on 9/11. I actually responded to Ground Zero,” Rowe said. “I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center.”
“I’m not asking that, I’m asking you, if you were… were you the special agent in charge!?” Fallon interrupted, shouting at Rowe.
Rowe raised his voice in response. “I was there to show respect for a Secret Service member that died on 9/11!” he yelled back.
“Do not invoke 9/11 for political purposes!” Rowe screamed at the lawmaker.
“I’m not,” Fallon fired back, as the committee chairman demanded order and banged his gavel.
“You are, sir. You are out of line, congressman!” Rowe fumed. “Way out of line.”
Fallon then accused Rowe of “playing politics” by refusing to answer his question.
“I am a public servant who has served this nation,” Rowe retorted, saying he served on the nation’s “darkest day.”
“You will not politicize it!” Rowe thundered.
WATCH EXCHANGE: FOX NEWS
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