Two weeks after Republican Kevin McCarthy was removed as speaker of the Lower House by a motion initiated by one of his own, Matt Gaetz. congress United States of Americaparalytic He has since voted on Tuesday looking for a new ‘speaker’ but was unable to find one, at least in the first round of voting.
Bloody civil war began Republican Party And chaos And dysfunction They reappeared at the plenary session and Jim JordanHE Far-right congressman from Ohio what’s wrong with him Support for Donald Trump and it was announced that the formation was selected as a candidate last Friday. withdrew two days before the first candidateSteve Scalise, Failed to unite the bench and thus overcome Democratic opposition. Receipt 220 votes in favor And 232 against (Those of 212 Democrats and 20 Republicans).
The parliament is on recess and it is unclear as of press time when the second vote will be held. Unless there is a speaker second place in the presidential order of succession U.S. Congress after vice presidency cannot legislate or take action how to confirm new Military aid to Israel This is a priority for the Joe Biden Administration, Republicans and many Democrats.
Paralysis is also on the rise pressure for budget approval Keeping the government operating: 17 November The deadline to achieve that is running out, according to legislation approved under McCarthy’s presidency, which implemented with Democratic support the rule punishing Gaetz and the seven other Republicans who voted to impeach him.
Deny Biden’s victory
This Tuesday, Jordan could only afford to lose four votes to Republicans given the narrow majority of conservatives in the Lower House, but he came in with six votes and declared a firm no beforehand, and the votes were ultimately rejected. twenty the Members of Congress who voted against your party, mostly representatives most traditional deviceThe party or its chosen person moderate districts won Biden.
One of the main reasons for this opposition is Jordan’s rejection related to Declaring Trump lost the election 2020. Congressman 59 yearsHE He came to Congress in 2007This is one of the following founders of the radical Freedom Group and in some cases it has been described as follows: “legislative terrorist”He has been arguably Trump’s strongest ally in the Lower House since January. He chairs the Judiciary Committee.
Jordan He spoke frequently with Trump from the 2020 election until January 6, 2021, the day of the attack on the Capitol. He was one of the people who did this Voted against certification of Biden’s victory. He was subpoenaed to testify but refused to appear before the Democratic special committee investigating the challenges to the election and the attack Trump is facing. federal charges .
Some moderate congressmen refuse to elevate such a person to speaker. Others ultimately voted for him, even though they questioned his position. The truth is that Jordan managed to convince many people. intense negotiation campaignbut also printsHe has done so since he was nominated on Friday (the same day that 55 Republicans in another closed-door vote said they would not vote for him).
Some of the 35 people who abandoned opposition on Friday to support this Tuesday did so following direct talks with Jordan. suggested that dismissal might soften his radical positions Prioritize proposals such as preventing far-right and government shutdowns or continuing to provide aid Ukrainesomething he has been openly opposed to until now. In any case, he did not make any specific or concrete promises to them.
Other factors also contributed to some changes in posture. There are congress members recruited. threats being challenged from the right in the primariesThey suffered Harassment campaigns on social networks and media of the far-right ecosystem I got calls from actors like and Sean HannityOne of the star anchors of Fox News.
Against all odds, and with the first result this Tuesday, Jordan obliged. continue to submit to public voteIt’s something he initially tried to avoid but now believes is a way to increase pressure on Republicans who still resist him. McCarthy In January, in an embarrassing and humiliating stretch, he needed 15 rounds to get elected, and only after doing so did he achieve it. significant concessions to the ultra-minority.a process that allows us to risk a lot of convulsions and chaos that are already confirmed.
Democratic options
democrats They voted en masse Hakeem Jeffries, minority leader They will continue their duties in the Parliament, where they have no chance of being elected. Frontal opposition to Jordan, whose ascension to office would confirm this A radical shift by the Republican Party towards the far right. In Pete Aguilar’s speech nominating Jeffries, the Democrat directly blamed Jordan. “encouraging violence” He was in the House regarding the attack on the Capitol and also called him a election denier or as the architect of the attempt to impose legal Federal veto on abortion. He also emphasized: 16 years in the roomnot promoted There is no bill that has become law.
Democrats took action mix ideas this can give solution to corporate crisis Although they have a chance to advance between minimum and almost zero. there would be one Raise Patrick McHenrywho served as interim speaker following McCarthy’s impeachment, whose powers are currently limited to organizing the election of the speaker of the House of Representatives. Another suggestion that would be clearly unworkable given the direction of the Republican Party would be to recommend the former congressman for the position. Liz Cheneywho was punished by her party for her accusations against Trump and relied on some Republicans to support her election.