Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) asserted during a recent interview that the House rule changes that were negotiated during Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) speakership vote were also supported by left-wing populists like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
New House, new Rules!
For the first time in 7 YEARS, a bill will be brought to the House floor and Members can offer amendments in an open process.
Transparency is finally BACK in the People’s House.
— Congressman Ben Cline (@RepBenCline) January 26, 2023
During an appearance on MSNBC’s “The Beat” on Monday, Gaetz discussed the new House rules and the positive changes that result from them.
“So people have seen you there. We look at the new rules. First question, what do you think you or the Republican caucus are now achieving under these new rules?” host Ari Melber asked.
Gaetz responded by asserting that the new rules will not just be temporary for this Congress, and will instead last for some time because of the power they give to individual members of the House.
“These new rules will last long past my time in Congress or Kevin McCarthy’s as speaker, and they democratize the process so that individual members can offer amendments, can target spending for reductions,” the Florida congressman said.
The new rules of the House will last long past my time in Congress or McCarthy's as Speaker. They democratize the process.
I've got to give a lot of credit to @RepChipRoy, @RepDanBishop, @RepScottPerry, and many others who really put the meat on the bone during negotiations. pic.twitter.com/T3VmiKodnQ
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) January 31, 2023
Gaetz went on to point out that even so-called left-wing populists like Ocasio Cortez, a radical socialist congresswoman who is no friend to conservatives, support the rule changes.
“It was even Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that went on Alex Wagner’s program during this balloting and said that a lot of the things that we were fighting for as conservative populists were supported by populists on the left because it didn’t concentrate so much power in the hands of the speaker and the leadership,” he said. “I think that will vindicate the service of all 435 members.”
Melber then asked Gaetz to discuss some of the rules in detail and questioned whether the new rule to allow a single member to challenge the House Speaker’s position via requesting a no-confidence vote would actually occur under McCarthy’s leadership.
“Let’s take a look at some of the rules. As you mentioned, a single member, instead of a larger group, can force a kind of no-confidence vote, a longer time to read the bills, others up on the screen. Thus far, do you feel that McCarthy is following all of this? And do you expect there to be a potential no-confidence vote in his tenure, or that’s probably off the table now?” the MSNBC host asked.
“I don’t expect it, though, of course, it is good for the health of the institution for any speaker to know that one member could call for a vote on their reign in power,” Gaetz responded. “I’m particularly pleased that Kevin McCarthy has been meeting his commitments on policy, on procedure, and on personnel.”
“We’ve got a number of great conservatives now on the Rules Committee and on the Appropriations Committee that wouldn’t have had that opportunity, but for this temporary clash at the beginning of the year, I think we’re a stronger team now going forward,” he added. “And I think we’ve given Kevin McCarthy every reason to be the very best version of himself.”
