Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has warned of “consequences” for her colleague who pounced on Rep. Matt Gaetz on the chaotic final day of the vote for House leadership.
Amid the chaos, Congressman Mike Rogers of Alabama attempted to physically confront Gaetz and had to be restrained by North Carolina’s Richard Hudson.
The confrontation came after the 14th ballot, in which Rep. Kevin McCarthy was just one vote short of getting him over the line to become Speaker.
Rogers is expected to be named chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and multiple reports suggest Gaetz withheld supporting McCarthy until he was promised the role.
When asked about it, McCarthy told the media, “No one gets promised anything.” In the fallout, Greene, an ardent McCarthy supporter, told reporters, “There will be consequences” for Rogers’ actions.
Trump acolyte Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene warned of “consequences” for Rogers’ actions in trying to get to Gaetz
Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers is reticent after shouting at Florida’s Matt Gaetz
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The California congressman was eventually promoted to the role early Saturday morning in the 15th vote.
However, Gaetz abstained on the vote on McCarthy’s increase, responding “Present” when asked to cast his vote.
Rep. Greene said: “Mike Rogers lost his temper and basically wanted to lay his hands on Matt. And it was indeed Richard Hudson – grabbed Mike Rogers from behind and pulled him away.
She added: “So yeah, that was totally out of line. And then I’m sure it will be done.’
While North Carolina’s Rep. Patrick McHenry chimed in about the scuffle, saying, “I’ve seen three or four moments like — that would even get close to that in my 18 years, and that might have just taken the cake.”
McCarthy said among the problems he will face head on are the national debt and the “Chinese Communist Party”.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California points to the newly installed nameplate in his office after being sworn in as Speaker of the 118th Congress in Washington
Fellow Republican Tim Burchett of Tennessee said, “I’ll be honest — I will not be threatened by anyone, and if anyone puts their hands on me, I will drop them like a sack of dirt,” Burchett told reporters early Saturday I really will, man. That’s not – I’m not one to shy away from a fight.’
Greene reportedly went to Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana earlier that night and told him Trump was on the phone and that Rosendale needed to speak to him. “Don’t you ever do me like that,” Rosendale reportedly said to her.
Trump also reportedly spoke to Arizona’s Andy Biggs and Gaetz.
McCarthy previously credited Trump for his support during the voting process when speaking to reporters.
He said: “He was with me from the start – someone wrote the doubt if he was there – and he was all in. He would call me and he would call others. And he really — I spoke to him tonight — helped get those final votes.
Trump responded by posting a video of McCarthy thanking the former president on his Truth Social platform, writing, “Thanks Kevin. It was a great honor!’
He added: “The selection process for the ‘speaker’, as crazy as it may seem, has made everything much bigger and more important than if it were done in the more conventional way.” He also said, “Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and our BIG Republican party!”
In his victory speech, McCarthy said, “That was easy, wasn’t it?”
“Hakeem, I have to warn you, two years ago I got 100 percent of the votes from my conference,” McCarthy continued, in an effort to act as a peacemaker.
“Leader Jeffries, there will be times when we agree. And often we will differ. I promise our debates will be passionate, but never personal,” McCarthy said.
“Now the hard work begins.”
“We will pass legislation to solve the nation’s challenges, from wide-open southern borders to America’s latest energy policy, to spark indoctrination in our schools,” he added. “We will use the power of the purse and the power of the subpoena to get the job done.”
The new spokesman added, “We will also address America’s long-term challenges: the debt and the Chinese Communist Party. Congress must speak with one voice on both issues.’
He said one of the “first-ever hearings” of the House of Representatives will be held at the US-Mexico border and the first bill to be put forward is to “de-fund 87,000 new IRS officers.”
After the longest ballot for the gavel since the Civil War, McCarthy’s victory was confirmed at 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning in the final vote when four hard-line Republicans relented by voting present.