Frustrations within the House Republican conference boiled over Thursday as it convened to lay out the plans amid the looming spending fight and impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., shot back at threats by members of his conference to file a motion to vacate, according to reports.
"I don't walk away from a battle," McCarthy told reporters. "I knew changing Washington would not be easy. I knew people would fight or try to hold leverage for other things.
"I'm just going to continue to focus on what's the right thing to do for the American people, and you know what? If it takes a fight, I'll have a fight."
After the contentious conference meeting, the House GOP was cleared to go home for the weekend.
"If you want to file a motion to vacate, then file the f***ing motion," McCarthy said, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., told reporters after the meeting, the Washington Examiner reported.
"That's it. Kevin doesn't live in fear about this."
McCarthy spoke about the fireworks when meeting with reporters, Newsmax congressional correspondent Kilmeny Duchardt reported.
"I showed frustration in here because I am frustrated with the committee — I mean frustrated with some people in the conference," McCarthy told reporters. "Threats don't matter and sometimes people do those things because of personal things, and that's all fine."
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., might be one of those referred to there. He taunted the speaker to "pull" himself together.
"Sounds like @SpeakerMcCarthy is having a total normal one — not rattled at all," Gaetz said on X. "Truth is Kevin controls his own fate. So instead of emotionally cursing, let's do this:
- Single-subject spending bills
- Term limits vote
- Balanced budget vote
- Release J6 tapes to all
- Subpoena Hunter
"We must begin immediately. Pull yourself together, Kevin!"
McCarthy has just nine working days to pass the spending bills needed to fund the government or risk a politically devastating federal shutdown.
An interruption in government services would ripple across the country, almost certain to hurt his party politically as Republicans are blamed for the disruption and disarray.
"He said: If you want to throw in a motion to vacate, that's fine, I didn't survive 15 rounds for nothing and I'll survive another 15 rounds," McCarthy ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told reporters.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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