Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) is blaming House Democrats for bringing “chaos to Congress” after GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) led a successful effort to remove him as Speaker and House Republicans continue to struggle to find his replacement.
“Eight people work with all the Democrats to disrupt the country,” McCarthy told CNN’s Manu Raju.
“When all the Democrats get together with eight Republicans…they’ve really stymied–they’ve brought chaos to Congress and now they’ve tried to stymie our ability to have continuity of Congress which I think is a real problem what the Democrats have done,” McCarthy added.
McCarthy’s comments came after House Republicans voted Friday to nominate Rep. Jim Jordon (R-Ohio) for Speaker after their previous nominee, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) dropped out.
Jordan defeated Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.),in a closed-door internal party vote Friday, 124 to 81. On a second ballot to gauge Jordan’s support among the conference as their official nominee, Jordan received 152 votes, still falling well short of the 217 votes needed to be elected Speaker on the House floor. 55 Republicans opposed his nomination on the second ballot.
Asked how House Republicans’ divisiveness could impact the reelection bids of the 18 Republicans representing districts that Biden won in 2020, McCarthy said it will show that “all the Democrats voted to try to bring chaos.”
“You guys can’t govern,” Raju said, noting that the House is powerless because there is not a permanent speaker.
McCarthy defended his conference saying they passed the Parents’ Bill of Rights and legislation to protect the border and “America’s energy independence.”
“The Democrats are over here fighting about whether they could even stand with Israel,” McCarthy added.
“You guys can’t even act on the aid package to Israel because things are stalled,” Raju responded.
