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House Speaker Update

By Mike Huckabee

January 5, 2023
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After six votes Wednesday, holdouts were still refusing to back Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and the House voted to adjourn and reconvene later today. Reports are that negotiations continued last night with some possible progress. The New York Times, citing confidential sources, claims that McCarthy “privately agreed to more demands from the right-wing rebels that he had previously refused to countenance, including allowing a single lawmaker to force a snap vote at any time to oust him from the speakership.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/01/05/us/house-speaker-vote?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20230105&instance_id=81893&nl=from-the-times&regi_id=185440375&segment_id=121640&te=1&user_id=e72989d1d346165df7b3f4d8aabe2fdd

McCarthy has offered an astounding number of concessions, listed here by Victoria Taft at PJ Media.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/victoria-taft/2023/01/05/here-are-the-latest-deals-kevin-mccarthy-has-made-to-become-speaker-n1658804

The Club For Growth has also reportedly cut a deal with a super PAC associated with McCarthy that could result in them endorsing him as Speaker.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/04/speaker-race-breakthrough-mccarthy-pac-agrees-conservatives-no-spending-safe-open-seat-primaries/

Fox News has comments from Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, the latest alternative proposed for McCarthy.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-speaker-race-rep-elect-byron-donalds-responds-retribution-running-against-kevin-mccarthy

As noted in the article, until there’s a Speaker, the new House can’t even be sworn in, so this is preventing necessary action from being taken on many fronts. 

McCarthy’s detractors still have no alternative candidate who is more conservative and can attract enough votes to win. They keep pointing to the last time conservatives forced McCarthy to withdraw in 2015, but back then, a dark horse “unity” candidate stepped forward and won. Considering that was Paul Ryan, whom they now vilify as a squishy, Trump-hating RINO, it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for this strategy.

This is a continuing (and continuing!) story, so keep checking the regularly updated Fox News feed for the latest developments.

https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/house-speaker-vote

One thing to note:  While the 10% wants to rule over the 90% (who has ever allowed that or thought it was the way elections work?), it’s revealing that some of the holdouts have said in interviews that what they are “demanding” of Kevin McCarthy is that they get choice committee assignments and a promise they won’t be punished for their attempted coup.  That’s not only delusional, but very telling.  If a person is objecting by sheer principle, one is willing to suffer whatever the consequences for the rebellion.  When a person says, “Hey, this is about ME…protecting MY position, MY role in leadership, and MY being able to take any shot I want at 90% of my colleagues and have no consequence other than being rewarded.”  THAT my friend is NOT acting on “principle.”  It’s a selfish act of a power grab and publicity stunt.  Reward THAT behavior and you’ll keep getting more of it in the future.

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Comments 51-60 of 110

  • Steve Robus

    01/05/2023 03:01 PM

    MH,
    I am not a fan of KM. The GOP has been slightly short of complete garbage over past the years. There is no unification. That is why they barely won the house. They stand for nothing. Too many Mitch McConnell types. I am thrilled to see reps with a backbone. Yes...they do represent their constituency. You disagreed with that on Hannity, which was rather surprising. This is the process and it should be respected. It's not the first time this has happened. Maybe Kevin should move out of the way for the sake of the party. We need someone that stands for conservative principles that won't cave. Kevin is not that guy. Do you know why the Dems win out all the time? They don't cave, unlike the GOP. We need a caucus full of those that are standing up. No offense, but the talking heads need to but out. Nothing changes if nothing changes. Thx!

  • Sandra Aberle

    01/05/2023 02:58 PM

    As I am just a "fly-over" citizen, I have no voice....but, I do have opinions.
    You want concession from the hold-outs so business can start, and you cite "committee appointments" desires.
    I see continued swamp....McCarthy has money from FTX? McCarthy rooms with a lobbyist? McCarthy speaks at WEF? McCarthy (and McConnell) speak out of both sides of their mouths.
    Business as usual can go on hold. When my budget demands tightening the spending, I do so--life goes on hold! I am not sure any "business" is more important than cleaning the swamp.
    Something else bothering me is....What are they doing/passing in the background while this chaos is going on?
    I no longer trust anyone...even you, Mike, are held up to the mirror of the scriptures (and I know that you know that, too).
    Thank you for listening to my rant.

  • Gregg Turk

    01/05/2023 02:46 PM

    After following the speaker debate closely I am now with the conservative group in thinking Kevin is not a good choice and it is time for a change. I like the gentleman from Texas who has been getting votes the last couple of days, Byron Donalds. I loved his comment on if he was afraid of the other side coming after him. He said, "I am 6.2 and 275 pounds!!".

  • Janna Bailey

    01/05/2023 02:43 PM

    The people in Congress must have the backbone to nominate Kevin Mc Carthy for Speaker of the House.

  • Robert Dennis Lennon

    01/05/2023 02:38 PM

    Mike, I wholeheartedly agree with your comments regarding the self serving selfishness and lack of principles among some of the "10 percent".

  • DANIEL H RUPP

    01/05/2023 02:37 PM

    The House needs to grow up, cut the selfishness and the politics and immediately get to the business of the American people. This is adolescent stupidity!

  • Connie Ramsey

    01/05/2023 02:35 PM

    Mike, I'm surprised by your position on this. From the comments I've read on many articles regarding this subject, it seems that most conservatives are supporting the 20 hold-outs. I'm one of them. I believe they are doing exactly what the founding fathers intended representative to do. It's called debate.

  • Angel C Bulauitan

    01/05/2023 02:35 PM

    McCarthy is a RINO and a DC crocodile and I don't support the RINOs. Kevin voted to impeach President Trump.

    Reply

  • Janice Sines

    01/05/2023 02:33 PM

    I am so sick of the stupid games these Republicans are playing instead of working for the American people which is what they should be doing!!!!! Get to work that’s why you’re there!!!!!!!!

  • Stu Chapman

    01/05/2023 02:33 PM

    Hi Mike,

    Love the newsletter and your thoughts. I’m usually a political junkie but the fight for the Speaker position leaves me completely ambivalent.

    Both the Dems and Republicans have so thoroughly debased the Constitution and our Federal Republic, that I have zero faith in either party to work in the interests of individual liberty, as our founders intended.

    I have become of the mind to just let it all burn down, figuratively of course. It appears as if at least two of our three branches are already dumping barrels of fuel all over the place and are just waiting for some idiot with a match to help the immolate the institutions from within.

    My only hope for the survival of our republic lay in the States aggressively asserting their 10th Amendment rights, in order to nullify the egregious power centralization by the Fed.

    I don’t think Congress is a ship that can be righted, the institution is too far gone. The Executive Branch is just too volatile from one Chief Executive to the next, especially when the bureaucracy is working behind the scenes to upend the systems of equal protection and free speech.

    We in the states must simply refuse to comply, thereby nullifying Congress and Executive Branch abuse of illicitly gained power.

    The current slapping match over the Speakership will have no impact on the accelerating decline of our Government institutions. Of course I think Jeffries would be worse than McCarthy, but by what degree? To me, it similar to a choice of whether to be suffocated by a pillow or a plastic bag. The results are the same.

    Kindest regards Mike!

    Stu C.,

Mike Huckabee

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