(Patriot.Buzz) – After being ripped by fellow Republicans for weeks, Rep. Matt Gaetz expressed a sense of triumph following the election of Rep. Mike Johnson as the new House Speaker.
Gaetz, who played a pivotal role in removing former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, described the change as a victory for conservatism, stating, “It fulfilled my commitment to have one who’s more honest and more conservative.”
He added, “I think these were the most productive 22 days we’ve had in the House of Representatives because we were able to vanquish the lobbyist vessel formerly known as Speaker McCarthy.”
The Florida Republican was instrumental in orchestrating the unprecedented ouster of McCarthy, leading to weeks of intense turmoil and deep divisions within the GOP House. This bold move paved the way for Rep. Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and former vice chair of the House GOP conference, to ascend to the speakership with unanimous Republican support following three unsuccessful attempts by other colleagues.
Gaetz initiated the motion to vacate against McCarthy, marking a historic moment on October 3 when McCarthy became the first speaker in U.S. history to be stripped of the gavel. This motion saw support from eight Republicans, including Gaetz, and all Democrats.
In the face of upcoming challenges, such as passing a budget and addressing annual spending bills, Johnson is poised for an ambitious legislative agenda. However, he indicated the likelihood of needing another stopgap funding measure to prevent a government shutdown on November 18. Such measures typically require bipartisan backing.
Gaetz’s backing of McCarthy’s removal was partly fueled by McCarthy’s reliance on a continuing resolution to keep the government running. However, Gaetz now seems open to supporting such a measure under Johnson’s leadership, believing in his handling of the appropriations process. Gaetz criticized McCarthy’s approach, saying, “Kevin McCarthy was only doing a continuing resolution to get to another continuing resolution.” He suggested that McCarthy might still be in his position had he been more committed to single-subject spending bills.
In a striking contrast, McCarthy voiced his displeasure with accepting a stopgap measure now that he is no longer speaker. Talking to The Times, McCarthy questioned, “I thought they said no [continuing resolutions]? I thought I was removed because of a [continuing resolution]?” This statement underscores the complex dynamics and shifting alliances within the House of Representatives.
