tgk2 wrote:reversemigraine wrote:I wonder how much George Santos can squeeze out of McCarthy.
Can't squeeze blood from a stone
grammatron wrote:I love to cash in words written on stone.
Organic Croutons wrote:Cronos your sig quotes me btw why do I not get proper reference
coop wrote:palmer, how do u think the vote goes today?
House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and his top supporters erupted at the dozen-plus conservative hardliners vowing to block his speakers bid in a closed-door meeting Tuesday, just hours before the vote.
In a fiery speech to his conference, McCarthy underscored the extensive concessions he has made to those who have vowed to oppose him, largely those in the House Freedom Caucus, according to multiple members in the room.
But he also told members that there are about 20 GOP lawmakers who plan to vote against him, far more than the five who have publicly opposed him — underscoring the likely chaos that awaits the GOP as they seek to elect a speaker at noon. Less than an hour before the vote, at least five Republicans publicly stated that they were opposed to McCarthy’s speakership, enough to tank his bid on the floor.
Politico notes it’s been so long that the exact procedure if no one has a majority is a smidge unclear. A Congressional Research Service brief on electing the speaker simply says that if no one gets a majority, the vote is repeated.
Let’s say, after the prayer is offered, the Pledge of Allegiance said and the roll called, that McCarthy (or any challenger) fails to reach the necessary majority threshold. There’s a few things that could happen next:
First: The clerk can theoretically repeat the roll call voice vote until someone gets a majority. That’ll suck up some time, but don’t expect sessions to get drawn out late into the night. Matthew Glassman, a senior fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University, told Huddle that historically there’s only been an appetite for three or four votes before members want to get off the floor to wheel and deal.
“These are not marathon sessions,” Glassman said.
Second: Lawmakers could vote on a proposal to change how they elect the speaker, like accepting a plurality winner — a wild departure, though there is precedent from multiple speaker votes in the 1850s — or going by a secret ballot. However, proposals to make other restrictions like dropping candidates with the lowest number of votes or barring new candidates have historically been defeated or tabled.
Third: If Republicans need to regroup before starting a new ballot, maybe hash out a compromise with McCarthy or do some horse trading behind closed doors, there is just one option on the table: adjourn the House. Without House rules in place, the chamber cannot recess subject to the call of the chair. They’d need to adjourn, with a certain day and time for reconvening specified.
The Clerk will call the shots: The Clerk of the House has the authority to make rulings during this period, since there’s no speaker, though the House can appeal and overturn clerk rulings.
We should “expect the clerk to behave in a relatively nonpartisan way,” Glassman said. Clerk Cheryl L. Johnson was sworn in by outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), but there are not incentives for her or her team of clerks to muddy the waters.
No pause button: During this time, if McCarthy fails on the first ballot, any members-elect can seek recognition and make motions, propose resolutions, move to table items and call for roll call votes or to adjourn. However, efforts to delay the speaker election in favor of other business have been quashed in the past.
And remember: Members who are trying to topple McCarthy are getting familiar with their options, with certain House Freedom Caucus members meeting to talk through the procedure of the Jan. 3 vote with House Parliamentarian Jason Smith (not to be confused with Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.)).
Lots of in-the-know people (rules nerds) who talked to Huddle about these possibilities shared a sentiment that while the never-before-seen procedural moves could be fascinating — the reality could be excruciating.
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