Staff Reports
Florida Representative Matt Gaetz is not happy with the actions of North Carolina Representative Patrick McHenry, who is now serving as Speaker Pro Tempore. Gaetz believes that lawmakers should be focused on choosing new leadership after the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, but instead, they are taking a break. Gaetz criticized McHenry for sending everyone home until next week, instead of staying to work on electing a new speaker and addressing important issues like appropriations and government funding.
Gaetz even went so far as to say that these lawmakers are “crying” and “hand-wringing” over McCarthy’s departure, when they should be prioritizing the needs of the American people.
We need a new Speaker who believes in robust oversight, will send the subpoenas, and get the job done. pic.twitter.com/fw5dPh08lU
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 4, 2023
Gaetz led the effort to remove McCarthy from his speakership role, and he believes that it is urgent to find a new speaker and for the leadership to recognize the sense of urgency that he and the American people feel. However, Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana disagreed, stating that the recess was necessary to allow tempers to cool. He even suggested that if the meeting had continued, there may have been physical altercations. Despite the government shutdown being temporarily avoided, the current funding resolution will expire soon, so time is of the essence.
