Fox News host and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) took a swing at House GOP members Friday for ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in fall 2023.
“You and I would not be talking about [House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)], had it not been for [Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)] and seven of his comrades, who decided to pursue fame and get rid of Kevin McCarthy,” Gowdy told Fox News’ Rich Edison on “Special Report,” in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
“What have they gotten, as a result of that? How has the House been improved?” Gowdy continued.
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As the House prepares to go on recess, members could be talking about the southern border, inflation, special counsel Robert Hur’s report on Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents, “but no, they’re gonna be talking about an internecine battle, which does not help you win the Senate in November, it doesn’t help you win the White House and it doesn’t help you grow your GOP margin in the House,” he added.
The GOP majority is already shrinking, with Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) announcing he would leave the House in April, after previously saying he would not seek reelection to his seat. It will leave House Republicans with 217 to Democrats’ 213, meaning Speaker Johnson can afford to lose only one vote on any bill that doesn’t have Democratic support.
McCarthy was ousted in early October 2023, when eight Republicans, led by Gaetz, voted with House Democrats to unseat the former Speaker following McCarthy’s decision to put a stopgap measure supported by Democrats on the floor and avoid a government shutdown.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed a motion to vacate against Johnson Friday, which was the same procedural move that led to McCarthy’s ouster. Greene’s motion came in opposition to his support for a bipartisan spending deal making its way through Congress. The Georgia Republican said she would not trigger a vote to oust Johnson yet.
Greene told reporters on the steps of the Capitol that the move was “basically a warning.”
“And it’s time for us to go through the process, take our time, and find a new Speaker of the House that will stand with Republicans in our Republican majority instead of standing with the Democrats,” Greene added.