House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) arrives at a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on October 3, 2023.
'Let Them Wallow in Their Pigsty': Unified Democrats Say They Won't Vote to Save McCarthy
"We are not voting in any way that will help Republicans," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal.
House Democrats made clear Tuesday that they will not help GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy save his leadership job as the chamber prepares to vote shortly on far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz's motion to take the gavel from the California Republican.
"We are not voting in any way that will help Republicans," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters at the U.S. Capitol, pointing to McCarthy's actions in the wake of the January 6 insurrection and his continued support for former President Donald Trump, as well as his refusal to honor the bipartisan debt ceiling deal.
"There is reason after reason to just let Republicans deal with their own problems," said Jayapal. "Let them wallow in their pigsty of incompetence and inability to govern."
Confident in his ability to survive the Gaetz-led revolt, McCarthy is expected to call a vote Tuesday on the Florida Republican's motion to vacate. A majority of the House lawmakers present for the vote is required for the motion to succeed.
At least six House Republicans have said they will vote yes on the motion, which would be enough to oust McCarthy if all Democrats also vote yes—though absences could impact the threshold. If the motion succeeds, a temporary speaker will take McCarthy's spot—and it's not yet clear when a new election will be held.
In addition to Gaetz, the five other Republicans who have indicated they will vote to vacate are Reps. Eli Crane and Andy Biggs of Arizona, Bob Good of Virginia, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
A vote is expected later Tuesday afternoon.
In a "Dear Colleague" letter on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) signaled that Democrats are unified and "will vote yes on the pending Republican motion to vacate the chair."
"House Democrats remain willing to find common ground on an enlightened path forward," Jeffries wrote. "Unfortunately, our extreme Republican colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same. It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War."
Rank-and-file Democrats have thus far provided no indication that they will break from their leadership to rescue McCarthy, who agreed earlier this year to allow any single House member to bring a motion to vacate as part of his deal with far-right Republicans to secure the speakership.
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) said in a statement Tuesday that "McCarthy voted to sell out our democracy to a mob of armed white supremacists to become speaker."
"He then sold his speakership to help MAGA extremists criminalize abortion, cut Social Security and Medicare, ban Black history, gut workers' rights and voting rights, and sell out our children's safety to the gun lobby and corporate polluters," Lee added. "If we didn't stop him, he would have sold out the entire country to keep his little gig as speaker of the chaos caucus. Why would I—or any Democrat—vote for a Republican speaker who supports Donald Trump and white supremacists? It's a NO from me."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
House Democrats made clear Tuesday that they will not help GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy save his leadership job as the chamber prepares to vote shortly on far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz's motion to take the gavel from the California Republican.
"We are not voting in any way that will help Republicans," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters at the U.S. Capitol, pointing to McCarthy's actions in the wake of the January 6 insurrection and his continued support for former President Donald Trump, as well as his refusal to honor the bipartisan debt ceiling deal.
"There is reason after reason to just let Republicans deal with their own problems," said Jayapal. "Let them wallow in their pigsty of incompetence and inability to govern."
Confident in his ability to survive the Gaetz-led revolt, McCarthy is expected to call a vote Tuesday on the Florida Republican's motion to vacate. A majority of the House lawmakers present for the vote is required for the motion to succeed.
At least six House Republicans have said they will vote yes on the motion, which would be enough to oust McCarthy if all Democrats also vote yes—though absences could impact the threshold. If the motion succeeds, a temporary speaker will take McCarthy's spot—and it's not yet clear when a new election will be held.
In addition to Gaetz, the five other Republicans who have indicated they will vote to vacate are Reps. Eli Crane and Andy Biggs of Arizona, Bob Good of Virginia, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
A vote is expected later Tuesday afternoon.
In a "Dear Colleague" letter on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) signaled that Democrats are unified and "will vote yes on the pending Republican motion to vacate the chair."
"House Democrats remain willing to find common ground on an enlightened path forward," Jeffries wrote. "Unfortunately, our extreme Republican colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same. It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War."
Rank-and-file Democrats have thus far provided no indication that they will break from their leadership to rescue McCarthy, who agreed earlier this year to allow any single House member to bring a motion to vacate as part of his deal with far-right Republicans to secure the speakership.
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) said in a statement Tuesday that "McCarthy voted to sell out our democracy to a mob of armed white supremacists to become speaker."
"He then sold his speakership to help MAGA extremists criminalize abortion, cut Social Security and Medicare, ban Black history, gut workers' rights and voting rights, and sell out our children's safety to the gun lobby and corporate polluters," Lee added. "If we didn't stop him, he would have sold out the entire country to keep his little gig as speaker of the chaos caucus. Why would I—or any Democrat—vote for a Republican speaker who supports Donald Trump and white supremacists? It's a NO from me."
House Democrats made clear Tuesday that they will not help GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy save his leadership job as the chamber prepares to vote shortly on far-right Rep. Matt Gaetz's motion to take the gavel from the California Republican.
"We are not voting in any way that will help Republicans," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters at the U.S. Capitol, pointing to McCarthy's actions in the wake of the January 6 insurrection and his continued support for former President Donald Trump, as well as his refusal to honor the bipartisan debt ceiling deal.
"There is reason after reason to just let Republicans deal with their own problems," said Jayapal. "Let them wallow in their pigsty of incompetence and inability to govern."
Confident in his ability to survive the Gaetz-led revolt, McCarthy is expected to call a vote Tuesday on the Florida Republican's motion to vacate. A majority of the House lawmakers present for the vote is required for the motion to succeed.
At least six House Republicans have said they will vote yes on the motion, which would be enough to oust McCarthy if all Democrats also vote yes—though absences could impact the threshold. If the motion succeeds, a temporary speaker will take McCarthy's spot—and it's not yet clear when a new election will be held.
In addition to Gaetz, the five other Republicans who have indicated they will vote to vacate are Reps. Eli Crane and Andy Biggs of Arizona, Bob Good of Virginia, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
A vote is expected later Tuesday afternoon.
In a "Dear Colleague" letter on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) signaled that Democrats are unified and "will vote yes on the pending Republican motion to vacate the chair."
"House Democrats remain willing to find common ground on an enlightened path forward," Jeffries wrote. "Unfortunately, our extreme Republican colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same. It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War."
Rank-and-file Democrats have thus far provided no indication that they will break from their leadership to rescue McCarthy, who agreed earlier this year to allow any single House member to bring a motion to vacate as part of his deal with far-right Republicans to secure the speakership.
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) said in a statement Tuesday that "McCarthy voted to sell out our democracy to a mob of armed white supremacists to become speaker."
"He then sold his speakership to help MAGA extremists criminalize abortion, cut Social Security and Medicare, ban Black history, gut workers' rights and voting rights, and sell out our children's safety to the gun lobby and corporate polluters," Lee added. "If we didn't stop him, he would have sold out the entire country to keep his little gig as speaker of the chaos caucus. Why would I—or any Democrat—vote for a Republican speaker who supports Donald Trump and white supremacists? It's a NO from me."