GOP lawmaker says party needs to have a ‘real reckoning within the conference’ next week

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said Wednesday that his party needs to have a “real reckoning within the conference” as the GOP conference will meet next week amid the chaos surrounding the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) 

During an appearance on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” Lawler told host Wolf Blitzer that he and his colleagues are frustrated with the eight House Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, saying that their decision violated the rules of their conference. 

“It was disgraceful and violated House Republican conference rules, that required a majority of a majority to remove a House Speaker and file that motion to vacate, and they didn’t adhere to that, and it was wrong,” Lawler told Blitzer. 

When asked about his colleagues who have thrown their names into the House Speaker’s race, Lawler replied that he wants to see potential candidates share their plan on holding the eight lawmakers who voted to oust McCarthy accountable for their decision. 

“No, I don’t have a preference of these three, and I think we need to have a real reckoning within the conference when we meet next week,” Lawler told Blitzer. 

“Number one, I want to hear how any of these candidates plan to handle holding these eight members accountable,” Lawler added. “They voted with 208 Democrats to torpedo our House Republican majority. The American people elected us to govern to serve as a check and balance on the Biden agenda and everything that we’ve been focused on from cutting spending to securing our border was just imperiled by these eight individuals.” 

Lawler’s remarks come a day after the House voted for the first time ever to remove a Speaker of the House. 

The historic vote was first brought forth by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), as he and seven other Republican lawmakers joined their Democratic colleagues in a 216-210 vote to remove McCarthy from his position. 

The seven Republicans who joined Gaetz to oust McCarthy are Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Ken Buck (Colo.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Bob Good (Va.), Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Matt Rosendale (Mont.).