House Freedom Caucus Strikes Back: Unleashes Retribution on Kevin McCarthy with Bold Move
The House Freedom Caucus sent a warning shot in the direction of Speaker Kevin McCarthy Tuesday by refusing to approve the rules for debate over a pair of Republican bills that would ban federal officials from snuffing out gas stoves.
In writing about the revolt, NBC said the 220-206 vote to reject the rules was “stunning” to “longtime lawmakers and reporters who have not seen a rule vote — a procedural measure typically widely supported by the majority party — go down in more than two decades.”
Recalcitrant Republicans said the spark that lit the flareup came when Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia, who voted against the McCarthy-supported rule on the debt ceiling deal McCarthy reached with President Joe Biden, was told a bill he sponsored to support pistol-stabilizing braces would not come to the floor this week as a form of punishment.
BREAKING: 12 Republicans from the @freedomcaucus just voted to strike down the House procedural rules on this week’s legislation, blocking them from being considered for a vote, as payback for how leadership handled the debt ceiling.
Specifically over them threatening Rep.…
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 6, 2023
Today, I voted no on the rule, H.Res 463.
I wasn’t elected to play political games. I was elected to uphold the Constitution.
Leadership failed to bring Andrew Clyde’s bill to repeal the unconstitutional ATF pistol brace rule to the floor.
This was retribution for his “no”…
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) June 6, 2023
Gaetz and HFC guys say they took down the gas stoves rule over GOP leaders retaliating vs. @Rep_Clyde for voting no on debt deal rule.
They threaten to vote no on more rules in future unless McCarthy takes them seriously on spending
— Scott Wong (@scottwongDC) June 6, 2023
Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado made it clear that anger over last week’s debt deal is still smoldering, according to Fox News.
“We fought for every member to have representation, every member to be empowered to represent their constituents and that was stripped from us last week with this debt ceiling deal. It was a closed rule. We were not allowed to offer amendments. We didn’t even have the ability to give voice to this legislation.”
“This is what we fought for in January. We were serious when we did it,” she said. “We said Congress is broken and we want fundamental changes to this place.”
Update: Group of 10 GOP lawmakers are now saying they will oppose all legislation that comes through the House until they get an agreement in writing from Speaker Kevin McCarthy to go back to the January agreement. Remember, it only takes 5 no votes to block any bill. https://t.co/Y8pTIl3gsz
— Farnoush Amiri (@FarnoushAmiri) June 6, 2023
Stove boils over: House Freedom Caucus rebels tank House gas bill in McCarthy retaliation by @jeremywbeaman @cami_mondeaux @reesejgorman https://t.co/kAjWVX1dRf
— Chris Irvine (@chrisirvine86) June 6, 2023
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said he and others who blocked the rule from advancing are “frustrated at the way this place is operating,” according to Fox News.
“We took a stand in January to end the era of the imperial speakership. We’re concerned that the fundamental commitments that allowed Kevin McCarthy to assume the speakership have been violated as a consequence of the debt limit deal,” he said.
🚨Update: @mattgaetz confirms members of the House Freedom Caucus took down the house rule vote for gas stoves bill in retaliation for how GOP leaders handled debt ceiling. pic.twitter.com/TGnLNWUPeE
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) June 6, 2023
“The answer for us is to reassert House conservatives as the appropriate coalition partner for our leadership instead of them making common cause with Democrats,” he said.
“We’re not going to live in a system where our members are subjected to this type of petty punishment. And we’re not going to live in a system where our constituents are left abandoned by anyone here in the Congress,” Gaetz said.
🚨BREAKING: 10 House Freedom Caucus GOP lawmakers will oppose all legislation that comes through the House until they get an agreement in writing from Speaker Kevin McCarthy to go back to the January agreement.🚨
— Red Lion Politics (@lion_politics) June 6, 2023
Republican Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina said that while there is a conversation taking place about instigating a motion to force a vote that could remove McCarthy, no action is planned just yet, according to Politico.
“But the problem that has been precipitated entirely by the speaker’s approach to the debt ceiling is going to have to be dealt with,” he said.
“It was an issue dealing with a member who was being threatened. So I sent a clear message,” Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee said.
Clyde told Politico he was confident his bill will make it to the floor next week, and said the time for a vote on ousting McCarthy has not yet arrived.
I’m here to defend our #2A freedoms—not cower to the Swamp.
Period. pic.twitter.com/0DVrTjQzY5
— Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep_Clyde) June 2, 2023
“I think we’re not there … the discussions haven’t occurred. It’s always an option. Right now I think we need to work on the issues in the Republican conference before we deal with [a] motion to vacate,” Clyde said. “I would much prefer to see us work things out.”
McCarthy said he’s not worried about such a vote, according to NBC.
“Anybody can do a motion to vacate. I’m confident I’ll beat anyone they have,” he said.
CHIP ROY on his ‘no’ vote: “We warned them not to cut that deal without coming down and sitting down to talk to us. So this is all about restoring a process that will fundamentally change things back to what was working.”
— Cami Mondeaux (@cami_mondeaux) June 6, 2023
The 11 Republicans who voted against Tuesday’s rule for the gas stoves legislation: Gaetz, Bishop, Boebert, Burchett, and Republican Reps. Chip Roy of Texas; Matt Rosendale of Montana; Ken Buck of Colorado; Eli Crane and Andy Biggs of Arizona; Ralph Norman of South Carolina; and Bob Good of Virginia, according to NBC.
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