Conservative Republicans PARALYZE Congress in return for Kevin McCarthy: Rebels furious at Biden debt deal president vow to stop all bills from being filed until their demands are met – as GOP leaders blame each other
- The House hasn’t voted on any legislation for more than 24 hours – votes were canceled for Wednesday
- It’s unclear when the House will vote again on the rule to move gas stove legislation – Freedom Caucus’ feuds with McCarthy continue
- Defectors say McCarthy broke ‘fundamental agreements’ he made to them in the speaker race and want him to back those promises in writing
Right-wing Republicans have blockaded the floor of the House and are holding leaders’ priorities hostage in retaliation for the debt ceiling deal that passed last week.
On Tuesday, eleven Republicans first blocked a vote on the rule that would have moved four bills limiting the Biden administration’s ability to regulate gas stoves to move forward.
The legislation is very popular in the GOP conference and was expected to pass through the House before dying in the Senate.
Now these members have since signed a motion to stop any legislation going forward until they have it in writing that Chairman Kevin McCarthy will back down on the ‘fundamental commitments’ he made during the President’s race at 15 laps.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., complained that leaders did not allow the debt ceiling agreement to go through an open rule — meaning rank and file members were not allowed to put amendments to the vote.
Rep. Dan Bishop, RN.C., initiated the vacancy motion to oust Speaker McCarthy
More than 24 hours later, the House has yet to vote on any legislation. It was scheduled to vote again on the gas stove rule around noon on Wednesday, but all votes were canceled for the day.
It all started with an outburst following a claim by Representative Andrew Clyde that he had been threatened with retaliation for his ‘no’ vote on the debt limitation agreement.
Far-right lawmakers, mostly from the House Freedom Caucus, specifically accused the leaders of threatening to delay the Clyde-led gun splint bill.
Clyde has since said he has secured a commitment from management that his resolution to repeal a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) regulation will get a vote next week, but defectors of the Freedom Caucus are not satisfied.
“HOLD THE FLOOR!!!,” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo tweeted.
Now House GOP leaders have started pointing fingers at each other.
McCarthy checked the name of Majority Leader Steve Scalise when asked if those opposed to the gas stove rule were upset with the debt limitation agreement.
“I think there’s a lot of different things. I just think sometimes it’s also personalities, everyone has different things that they’re upset with. With the Clyde thing that was about Scalise, it’s this which started,’ the speaker told reporters.
When asked if he was blind, McCarthy again pointed to Scalise: “We put different roles there and the majority leader runs the floor. Yesterday was launched on something else. It was a conversation the Majority Leader had with Clyde and I think it was a miscalculation – or a misinterpretation of what one said to the other.
Scalise, meanwhile, denied making any threats and instead said Tuesday that he only informed Clyde that he was having trouble mustering votes for the bill. He blamed “broken promises” for the Freedom Caucus blockade.
McCarthy checked the name of Majority Leader Steve Scalise when asked if those opposed to the gas stove rule were upset with the debt limitation agreement. “I think there’s a lot of different things. I just think sometimes it’s also personalities, everyone has different things that they’re upset with. With the Clyde thing that was about Scalise, it’s what started,’ the speaker told reporters
“Obviously there was some anger expressed about the debt ceiling agreement and even perceived broken promises dating back to the speakers’ race in January… Other things were also brought up. ”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who along with Scalise huddled with ‘no’ voters at the back of the House on Tuesday, said he was surprised by their decision and that it had been “spontaneous”.
He told DailyMail.com he was not involved in any threats that may have been made.
Boebert complained that leaders did not allow the debt ceiling agreement to be subject to an open rule – meaning rank and file members were not allowed to put amendments to a vote . Some members said McCarthy had promised them that he would present all laws under an open rule.
Others were upset that more Democrats voted for the final package than Republicans, 171 to 149. McCarthy, however, boasted that two-thirds of the Republican conference backed the bill.
“McCarthy lied, the rule is dead,” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., wrote on Twitter after Tuesday’s vote.
“House leadership couldn’t hold the line,” Gaetz tweeted Wednesday ahead of the second vote on the rule. “Now we hold the ground.”
