Repugnants FAIL 14 Times in 4 Days From Opening Day

Mike Rogers-R,AL3 is physically restrained from attacking Matt Gaetz by Richard Hudson-R,NC8 after he confronted Matt Gaetz following Gaetz’ “PRESENT” vote in the 14th round of balloting for Speaker of the House (SOTH), late Friday night, January 6, 2023

“Matt, you’re FINISHED!
I’m not gonna forget this!”

— Mike Rogers-R,AL3 screamed at Matt Gaetz-R,FL1 after Gaetz voted “PRESENT” instead of “McCarthy” in the 14th round of balloting for Speaker of the House of Representatives (SOTH), late Friday night, January 6, 2023, which was the 14th consecutive failure in 4 consecutive days by members of that party to elect a SOTH. Gaetz, and 19 other members of the Freedom Caucus, refused to vote for McCarthy for several legitimate reasons, though Kevin McCarthy-R,CA20 used coercive threats, and other unethical and authoritarian-type behaviors to have some of them acquiesce, under pressure from him, to change their votes to FOR him, instead of someone else, or “PRESENT.” Matt Gaetz never did.

No, Mister Mike “Rugrat” Rogers, YOU’RE the one who’s finished.

And you’ve now made your shit stain mark to an national television audience,
and to global international audience via the Internet,
and yourself a permanently indelible pock mark upon your failed party,
and in American history.

Congratulations, Mr. Asshole Rugrat Weasel Drunk Redneck Mike Rogers.

You shouldn’t have been on the House floor under the influence, and you sure as hell didn’t represent Alabama — or, maybe you did! Alabama is full of assholes like him. They’re called “weasels,” and are generally considered pests everywhere they’re found. Interestingly, a group of weasels is known as a “sneak,” a “boogle,” a “gang,” or a “confusion.” And in the Repugnants’ case, it’s confusion. And, that’s exactly what Rogers did — he sneaked up from behind amidst the confusion.

Mike Rogers-R,AL3 is physically restrained from attacking Matt Gaetz-R,FL1 by Richard Hudson-R,NC8 when Rogers confronted Gaetz after Gaetz voted “PRESENT” in the 14th round of balloting for Speaker of the House (SOTH), late Friday night, January 6, 2023

Matt Gaetz was 100% correct when he stated this before the 12th vote:

My colleague from California, Mr. Garcia, knows the incredibly high regard I hold for him. He is a patriot; I deeply, deeply admire him, but I must take some exception to some of the comments he made in his nomination of Mr. McCarthy.

First, he said that Mr. McCarthy has “earned” the position.

You only earn the position of Speaker of the House if you can get the votes. Mr. McCarthy doesn’t have the votes today, he will not have the votes tomorrow, and he will not have the votes next week, next month, next year.

And so, one must wonder, Madam Clerk, is this an exercise in vanity for someone who has done the math, taken the counts, and is putting this institution through something that absolutely is avoidable?

My colleague Mr. Garcia did not say this, but many of my other Republican colleagues have. They believe Mr. McCarthy has earned the position of Speaker of the House because he raised half a billion dollars to get Republicans elected.

Several believe that one earns the position of Speaker by raising enormous sums of money, and there is no doubt that the individual that was nominated by Mr. Garcia is the Lebron James of special interest fundraising in this town. There’s nobody better.

[NOTE: In a Newsweek OpEd entitled “McCarthy Has Earned the House Speakership” by former SOTH Newt Gingrich published 12/16/22 at 6:00 AM EST, he not only confirmed McCarthy’s mammoth fundraising machine of $500 million, but also that fundraising massive amounts of money IS a qualification for the office, and wrote: “Set aside the $500 million McCarthy and his allies raised during the 2022 campaign cycle. Some of his critics seem to think that effort doesn’t count (it should) because he had the power of the conference (and they don’t).”]

But I will suggest that there are qualifications for Speaker that are far more important, there are attributes that are more important. Jim Jordan has those, and I will be submitting his name for nomination at this time.

I heard my colleague from California, Mr. Garcia, say that we seek pure, selfless intent, and I could not agree more with that assessment. Mr. Jordan indeed is reflective of pure, selfless intent. I don’t know that the same can be said for the Republican alternative.

Let’s start with purity.

Many of you have seen the reports that there are negotiations to determine whether, or not, on this side of the aisle, there can be a deal, a meeting of the minds, a grand bargain that would allow us to proceed with the Speakership. And I want all of my colleagues to know, regardless of your perspective on me, how impure some of those negotiations have gone. I want the country to know.

The principal goal of the people who are objecting to Mr. McCarthy on the Republican side, is, we don’t believe the rules of this place unlock the potential of all of the members to be able to cast votes on individual bills and to offer amendments on appropriations acts. And we’re also concerned about spending that has ballooned our debt, and borrowed against the future generations of American citizens.

And Mr. McCarthy said ‘well goodness!’ to the objectors, ‘why do you want to be on the Oversight and Judiciary Committee and you never submit your names to be on the Rules Committee or the Appropriations Committee. So gosh, if you get a list of folks who are willing to come early on fly-in days for rules, and folks who are willing to take on the extra burden of our appropriators who work so hard, then I’ll certainly work to do that.’

And so, we endeavored in good faith, in pure good faith, to create that list — good faith to create that list. And what did Mr. McCarthy do? He went out to the media and came to other members of the conference, and said ‘See? They just want jobs for themselves.’

That is not pure.

Selflessness.

Selflessness is not selling shares of yourself to the lobby core and then doing their bidding at the expense of the American people. But there certainly is intent. And it’s an intent driven almost exclusively by personal ambition. And that ambition is paralyzing the House now.

Madam Clerk, at this time there is great trust in Mr. Jordan, and that’s why I am nominating him.

And there is insufficient trust in Kevin McCarthy.

There are some who have been objecting to Mr. McCarthy who are working on, perhaps, changes to the rules, changes to circumstance, that would convert the Speakership from the great awesome powerful position it is now, to more of a ceremonial position — almost akin to the Speaker in the British House of Commons. I referred to it previously as a straitjacket that some of us were trying to construct with better rules and better personnel, because we do not trust Mr. McCarthy with power, because we know who he will use it for. We are concerned it will not be for the American people.

We trust Jim Jordan.

I nominate him, and I’m going to vote for him.

REGARDLESS of your opinion of Matt Gaetz — love him, or loathe him — money IS a corrupting influence in the Capitol among our elected officials, and he is on the record as wanting to do something to change that problem.

And so, for THAT REASON ALONE, he is to be commended.

And for the record, what Matt Gaetz said about McCarthy’s fundraising is 100% accurate and true.
See: McCarthy’s Money: A look at Kevin McCarthy’s fundraising juggernaut
August 10, 2022, by Maddie Gannon

“This election cycle every headline reads the same: Bakersfield Congressman Kevin McCarthy has shattered fundraising records, mostly his own. McCarthy’s team did not respond to multiple requests for comment on his fundraising efforts but federal election data shows his personal campaign committee brought in more than $21 million in just the last 18 months.”

The 118th Congress will be forever remembered — if for no other reason which will come in the next 2 years — than for its Opening Day failures by Repugnants (or, Repugnicants – take your pick) to:

1.) Elect a Speaker of the House, in which it took 15 rounds of balloting over a period of 4 days, to finally end, and;

2.) The drama that unfolded after the failed 14th round of balloting.

As the majority party, they couldn’t elect a Speaker of the House, and couldn’t even peacefully transfer power to themselves.

This is how they will mismanage America in the next 2 years.

Kevin McCarthy is merely a placeholder, and will be replaced sooner than he expects.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5050164/republican-leader-mccarthy-negotiates-matt-gaetz-end-speaker-election-stalemate

Before an impromptu press gaggle inside the Capitol prior to balloting for SOTH on the 4th day, former Republican Minority Leader and SOTH hopeful Kevin McCarthy said in part that, “Matt Gaetz said, ‘I don’t care if we go to plurality, and we elect Hakeem Jeffries, and it hurts the new frontline members not to get re-elected.’ Well, that’s not about America, and I will always fight to put the American people first, not a few individuals that want something for themselves.”

Well after midnight Eastern Standard Time, into the early morning hours of Saturday, January 7, 2023, on the 15th ballot, 6 final Republican holdouts in the “Freedom Caucus” — including Gaetz, Boebert, — voted “PRESENT” which gave McCarthy a 216-212 victory, and ended the most prolonged speaker’s contest since 1859.

The following items are from the Office of the Clerk, United States House of Representatives, the proceedings of the day, and the times of occurrences (local time zone, Eastern Standard).

Items that may be considered

H. Res. ___

Adopting the Rules of the House of Representatives for the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, and for other purposes.

Added January 1, 2023 9:56 PM

Updated at January 6, 2023 5:27 PM

[PDF]

::Section-by-Section Analysis (as posted 01/01/2023)

Added January 1, 2023 9:56 PM

Updated at January 6, 2023 5:27 PM

[PDF]

::H. Res. ___ (as originally posted 01/01/2023)

Added January 3, 2023 12:20 PM

Updated at January 3, 2023 12:20 PM

[PDF]

:: H. Res. ___ (as originally posted 01/03/2023)

Added January 6, 2023 5:27 PM

[PDF]

:: Section-by-Section Analysis (as posted 01/06/2023)

Added January 6, 2023 5:27 PM

Updated at January 6, 2023 5:27 PM

[PDF]

A matter of great concern to the 20 holdouts of the “Freedom Caucus” was the prospective Rules of the House for the 118th Congress.

Click to access BILLS-118hresPIH-118th-rules-of-the-house-of-reps-V3.pdf

https://live.house.gov/
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10:00:00 PM		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:01:44 PM		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Chaplain Margaret Grun Kibben.
10:03:52 PM		The Clerk announced approval of the Journal.
10:04:09 PM		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Clerk led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
10:05:07 PM		NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE OF SPEAKER – Pursuant to law and precedent, the Clerk directed the Reading Clerk to call the roll for the Election of the Speaker. Accordingly, the Honorable Patrick T. McHenry of North Carolina placed the name of the Honorable Kevin McCarthy into nomination for the Office of Speaker, and the Honorable Pete Aguilar of California placed the name of the Honorable Hakeem S. Jeffries into nomination for the Office of Speaker. No other nominations were put forward.
11:15:58 PM		Roll call 18 – Election of the Speaker. Mr. McCarthy 216, Mr. Jeffries 212, Mr. Jordan 2, Mr. Biggs 2, and Present 2 (Roll no. 18).
11:16:00 PM		ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULT OF ROLL CALL 18 – The Clerk announced that no persons having received a majority of the whole number of votes cast by surname in the Election of the Speaker, a Speaker was not elected.
11:16:55 PM		Mr. McHenry moved that the House do now adjourn.
11:44:27 PM		On motion to adjourn Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 155 – 279 (Roll no. 19).
11:44:56 PM		NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICE OF SPEAKER – Pursuant to law and precedent, the Clerk directed the Reading Clerk to call the roll anew. Accordingly, the Honorable Bruce Westerman of Arkansas placed the name of the Honorable Kevin McCarthy into nomination for the Office of Speaker, and the Honorable Dean Phillips of Minnesota placed the name of the Honorable Hakeem S. Jeffries into nomination for the Office of Speaker. No other nominations were put forward.
12:37:10 AM		Roll call 20 – Election of the Speaker. Mr. McCarthy 216, Mr. Jeffries 212, and Present 6 (Roll no. 20). Mr. McCarthy was elected Speaker.
12:38:50 AM		COMMITTEE TO ESCORT THE SPEAKER-ELECT – The Clerk appointed a Committee of Members-elect to escort the Speaker-elect into the Chamber and to the Chair.
12:56:10 AM		The Speaker-elect was escorted into the Chamber by the Escort Committee and introduced by Representative-elect Jeffries, Democratic Leader, before assuming the Chair.
1:13:35 AM		ADDRESS BY THE SPEAKER-ELECT – The Speaker-elect addressed the House prior to taking the Oath of Office which will be administered by the Dean of the House, Representative-elect Harold Rogers, Kentucky.
1:38:36 AM		ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE – The Dean of the House administered the Oath of Office to the Speaker-elect.
1:39:55 AM		ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE – The Speaker administered the Oath of Office to the Members-elect of the 118th Congress.
1:42:17 AM		ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEADERSHIP POSTS – Ms. Stefanik of New York notified the House that, at the direction of the Republican Conference, Mr. Scalise of Louisiana had been elected as Majority Leader and Mr. Emmer of Minnesota had been elected as Majority Whip.
1:43:08 AM		ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEADERSHIP POSTS – Mr. Aguilar of California notified the House that, at the direction of the Democratic Caucus, Mr. Jeffries of New York had been elected Minority Leader, and that Ms. Clark of Massachusetts had been elected as Minority Whip.
1:44:58 AM	H. Res. 1	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 1 — “Electing officers of the House of Representatives.”
1:45:22 AM	H. Res. 1	Mr. Aguilar demanded that the question be divided on the adoption of the resolution as to have a separate vote on the election of the Chaplain. Agreed to without objection.
1:46:43 AM	H. Res. 1	On agreeing to that portion electing the Chaplain Agreed to by voice vote.
1:47:02 AM	H. Res. 1	An amendment, offered by Mr. Aguilar, to elect officers of the House
1:47:16 AM	H. Res. 1	On agreeing to the Aguilar amendment; Failed by voice vote.
1:48:33 AM	H. Res. 1	On agreeing to the remainder of the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.
1:48:44 AM	H. Res. 1	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.
1:48:50 AM	H. Res. 1	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:49:08 AM		ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE – The Speaker administered the Oath of Office to the Officers of the House.
1:49:15 AM	H. Res. 2	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 2 — “Inform the Senate that a quorum of the House has assembled and election of the Speaker and the Clerk.”
1:49:27 AM	H. Res. 2	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
1:49:33 AM	H. Res. 2	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:49:41 AM	H. Res. 3	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 3 — “Authorizing the Speaker to appoint a committee to notify the President of the assembly of the Congress.”
1:50:01 AM	H. Res. 3	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
1:50:06 AM	H. Res. 3	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:50:11 AM		COMMITTEE TO REPORT – Pursuant to H. Res. 3, the Chair announced the Speaker’s appointment of the following Members to the committee on the part of the House to join a committee on the part of the Senate to notify the President of the United States that a quorum of each House has assembled and that Congress is ready to receive any communication that he may be pleased to make: Mr. Scalise of Louisiana, and Mr. Jeffries of New York. Agreed to without objection.
1:51:00 AM		WHOLE NUMBER OF THE HOUSE – Under clause 5(d) of rule XX, the Chair announced that the current whole number of the House was 434.
1:51:15 AM	H. Res. 4	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 4 — “Authorizing the Clerk to inform the President of the election of the Speaker and the Clerk.”
1:51:25 AM	H. Res. 4	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
1:51:30 AM	H. Res. 4	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
1:51:59 AM		Since the rules of the 118th Congress had not yet been adopted, the Chair announced the rights of Members to introduce bills, and the authority of the Speaker to refer them, would be delayed and that submitted bills would be held until adoption of the rules. At that time, they would be referred as expeditiously as possible to the appropriate committee and the bills which were not referred and did not appear in the Record as of that day would be included in the next day’s Record and printed with a date as of the time that the rules were adopted.
1:52:00 AM		Mr. Scalise moved that the House do now adjourn.
1:52:08 AM		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
1:52:11 AM		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on January 9, 2023.