Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-gaetz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Gaetz</a> (R-FL) announced on Tuesday that he is <a href="https://gaetz.house.gov/sites/gaetz.house.gov/files/documents/Gaetz%20FBI%20HQ%20Resolution.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introducing a resolution</a> that calls for halting funds dedicated to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI</a>&#8216;s next headquarters over concerns about politicization at the bureau.
The congressman specifically decries the FBI&#8217;s Washington Field Office, which Gaetz said is &#8220;weaponized&#8221; and &#8220;rotten to the core.&#8221; Still, Gaetz acknowledged there &#8220;are still good men and women in the FBI whose task and purpose are to defend&#8221; the United States.
Titled the &#8220;FBI Washington Field Office House Arrest Act,&#8221; Gaetz&#8217;s resolution outlines a number of alleged misdeeds by the satellite office, including targeting parents critical of school board decisions and colluding with private sector companies during elections to censor information.
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Today I will be introducing the “FBI Washington Field Office House Arrest Act.” It calls for the House of Representatives to halt all spending allocated towards the FBI’s new proposed headquarters outside the District of Columbia.
There are still good men <a href="https://t.co/sYIbbVs4sf">https://t.co/sYIbbVs4sf</a>… <a href="https://t.co/E5B0mK7gVB">pic.twitter.com/E5B0mK7gVB</a>
&mdash; Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1638235174222569477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The resolution ultimately urges the GOP-led House to rally around the &#8220;sense&#8221; that no &#8220;money should be appropriated for the General Services Administration or the Federal Bureau of Investigation to either plan to, or acquire property for, a new, consolidated headquarters outside the District of Columbia.&#8221;
In a statement, Gaetz takes particular aim <a href="https://federalnewsnetwork.com/facilities-construction/2023/03/maryland-lawmakers-make-one-final-pitch-to-build-new-fbi-headquarters-in-their-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at $375 million in funds</a> from last year&#8217;s omnibus spending bill dedicated to the construction of a new facility <a href="https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/fbi-hq-maryland-virginia-omnibus/65-24f8bec6-1519-463d-8770-a9a3f822f9fb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in either Maryland or Virginia</a> and cited findings from an investigation by the House Judiciary Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Gaetz <a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/subcommittees/committee-judiciary/select-subcommittee-weaponization-federal-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is a member of the panel</a>.
&#8220;Through our investigations in the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, we have uncovered extremely disturbing testimony from FBI whistleblowers that the Washington Field Office is targeting Americans who oppose their corrupt political agenda,&#8221; he said.
Gaetz said the resolution will be co-sponsored by Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and Harriet Hageman (R-WY).
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The FBI declined to comment on the resolution when pressed by The Daily Wire.
Gaetz&#8217;s announcement marks the latest stand taken by GOP lawmakers who say the Justice Department and FBI have unfairly treated Republicans and conservatives in recent years.
Judiciary Committee Democrats have been decidedly skeptical of these claims. They <a href="https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/2023-03-02-gop-witnesses-report/55a2148d9afabab3/full.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compiled a report</a> last month raising questions about the credibility of the FBI whistleblowers who have come forward to the panel.
&#8220;House Republicans have found very few facts to fit their favorite talking points, even if it does not convince our colleagues to change their ways,&#8221; wrote Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI).
In a recent interview, FBI Director Christopher Wray downplayed how all the &#8220;noise&#8221; affects his day-to-day work.
&#8220;We&#8217;re not well-served by wading into the fray, taking the bait and responding to every breathless allegation,&#8221; Wray <a href="https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2023/03/08/fbi-tested-by-attacks--politically-explosive-investigations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told the Associated Press</a>. &#8220;So we will continue to push back and correct the record when we appropriately can. But as long as I&#8217;m director we&#8217;re going to follow the FBI&#8217;s long history and tradition of letting our work do the talking.&#8221;
The FBI&#8217;s current headquarters, the <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/history/history-of-fbi-headquarters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">J. Edgar Hoover Building</a>, started being built in Washington, D.C., during the 1960s and was completed in the 1970s. The federal government has been looking to get a new headquarters in the D.C. area for <a href="https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/testimony/proposal-for-a-new-consolidated-fbi-headquarters-building" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than a decade now</a>. Delegations from Maryland and Virginia are fighting over the project as the General Services Administration <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/20/maryland-versus-virginia-fbi-00087619" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weighs locations selected in both states</a>.
Gaetz argued his resolution would help stop Congress from showing support for a D.C. powerhouse that is on the brink.
&#8220;The cancer at the Washington Field Office has metastasized so large that the entire body is in critical condition,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Gifting the FBI a new headquarters larger than the Pentagon would condone, reinforce, and enable their nefarious behavior to levels we have never seen before.&#8221;

Matt Gaetz

Matt Gaetz Announces Resolution Dedicated To Stopping FBI HQ Funds

Congress

Law Enforcement

U.S.

The Justice Department (DOJ) has formally decided not to charge Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) in a sex-trafficking investigation.
“The Department of Justice has confirmed to Congressman Gaetz’s attorneys that their investigation has concluded and that he will not be charged with any crimes,&#8221; Gaetz&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire on Wednesday.
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/15/politics/matt-gaetz-justice-department/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN first reported</a> that DOJ officials informed witnesses of the decision by DOJ leadership. The Daily Wire reached out to the DOJ for comment.
Investigators were reportedly looking into whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, participated in sex trafficking, and obstructed justice in the ensuing probe. An alleged trip to the Bahamas in 2018 was of particular interest, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/matt-gaetz-justice-department-no-charges-sex-trafficking-investigation/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&amp;linkId=201647451" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to CBS News</a>.
Gaetz, 40, has long denied any wrongdoing. The congressman said he never paid for sex. He also asserted that he never had sex with a minor, claiming he only had sex with a 17-year-old when he was 17, per <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/09/23/gaetz-no-charges-sex-trafficking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Post</a>.
The investigation into Gaetz began in 2020, and leaks about it emerged in the press the following year, around the same time the congressman said his family had been targeted by a $25 million extortion scheme. A judge later sentenced Florida businessman Stephen Alford to about <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/08/23/matt-gaetz-father-extortion-investigation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five years in prison</a> for a plot to defraud Gaetz&#8217;s father.
In the federal sex-trafficking case, prosecutors reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prosecutors-likely-wont-charge-rep-matt-gaetz-in-sex-trafficking-investigation-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommended against charging Gaetz</a> back in the fall because two key witnesses had questionable credibility.
One of the witnesses was a female with whom Gaetz was allegedly involved when she was 17. Joel Greenberg, a former tax collector in Seminole County, Florida, and a friend of Gaetz was identified as the second witness.
Greenberg pleaded guilty to charges of underage sex trafficking, wire fraud, stalking, identity theft, producing a fake ID card, and conspiring to defraud the U.S. government. A Florida judge sentenced Greenberg to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/gaetz-associate-sentenced-11-years-sources-probe-florida/story?id=94225875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11 years in prison</a> last December after Greenberg cooperated with the Justice Department&#8217;s investigation.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

DOJ Chooses Not To Charge Matt Gaetz In Sex-Trafficking Investigation

Department of Justice

Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-gaetz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Gaetz</a> (R-FL) quietly joined the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House</a> Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, an unexpected addition after his name was not included in the slate of lawmakers announced weeks ago.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) read Gaetz’s name into the record last week, though the late addition was not noticed until Tuesday, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/rep-matt-gaetz-gets-weaponization-federal-government-committee-rcna69602" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a>. Gaetz’s addition appeared to come after Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) spoke with McCarthy about stepping back from the subcommittee to better manage his workload.
“In order to devote adequate time to the Rules, Judiciary and Budget Committees, as well as be a dad and do my job as the Representative of Texas&#8217; 21st Congressional District, I was happy to give my spot on the Weaponization Subcommittee to my friend, Matt Gaetz,” Roy&#8217;s office told The Daily Wire in a statement.
A Gaetz spokesman told The Daily Wire in a statement: “Rep. Gaetz is honored to serve on the Weaponization Subcommittee and will be working very hard.”
The subcommittee, a significant pickup for Gaetz, is expected to play a pivotal role in GOP’s expected investigations into the Biden administration over the next two years. The Republican agenda in the House is centered on investigations into issues that have irked and enraged GOP lawmakers for years, such as tech companies’ censorship policies, President Joe Biden’s role in the business dealings of his son, Hunter, and the FBI’s targeting of former President Donald Trump.
Gaetz’s appointment is somewhat surprising given his recent history with McCarthy. Gaetz was one of McCarthy’s leading antagonists during the speakership fight last month. McCarthy was finally elected to the office on the 15th ballot.
McCarthy gave a number of concessions to conservative holdouts in order to get the speaker’s gavel. Rep. Roy, who was originally slated to serve on the subcommittee, was one of the leading negotiators during the speaker fight, pushing McCarthy to make concessions to House conservatives to win their votes.
It’s unclear what deliberations took place, if any, to secure Gaetz&#8217;s spot on the powerful subcommittee. The special committee has a sweeping mandate to probe numerous departments, officials, and others on their suspected biases and actions taken against conservatives and other groups.

Matt Gaetz Lands Spot On House GOP’s Weaponization Of The Federal Government Subcommittee

Matt Gaetz Lands Spot On House GOP’s Weaponization Subcommittee

Chip Roy

Kevin McCarthy

Politics

U.S. House of Representatives

<a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/whoopi-goldberg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Whoopi Goldberg</a> and <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/sunny-hostin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunny Hostin</a> lashed out at Congressman <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-gaetz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Gaetz</a> (R-FL) on Thursday for calling on the House Judiciary Committee to make the Pledge of Allegiance a part of its proceedings.
During the latest broadcast of the ABC midday talk show &#8220;The View,&#8221; Goldberg argued that it would be &#8220;more patriotic&#8221; to address issues like &#8220;police violence&#8221; — and Hostin claimed that the pledge itself did not even &#8220;apply to a lot of our citizens.&#8221;
WATCH:
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Whoopi then lashes out at Fox News. She claims &quot;they don&#39;t do their work&quot; because they report on The View&#39;s nonsense. &quot;They come at us for doing what we&#39;re supposed to do which is give you our opinion,&quot; she whined, defending her &quot;anti-American&quot; stances. <a href="https://t.co/fHAhglxugx">pic.twitter.com/fHAhglxugx</a>
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1621181072145793026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Goldberg weighed in first, saying, &#8220;This is the Judiciary Committee, right, so wouldn&#8217;t it be a better show of patriotism to be working on issues like police violence, mass shootings, prison reform?&#8221;
&#8220;You know, people, I don&#8217;t know what it&#8217;s gonna take for them to recognize that people don&#8217;t — they&#8217;re not — we&#8217;re not fooling around, and people in the United States are not fooling around,&#8221; Goldberg continued. &#8220;You wasted everybody&#8217;s time suggesting your people do what they already do. What is this waste of time?&#8221;
She went on to preemptively attack Fox News, claiming that instead of &#8220;doing their job,&#8221; they would probably attack her for doing hers: giving her opinion. She argued that is what is great about America — the fact that each person could still freely give an opinion and it didn&#8217;t matter whether anyone else liked it.
Hostin jumped in next, claiming that her problem with the whole situation was the &#8220;hypocrisy&#8221; of it all – and then cited an African American history course she took in college that disabused her of the belief in &#8220;American exceptionalism.&#8221;
WATCH:
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Whoopi claims people are trying to ban &quot;little kids&quot; from &quot;learn[ing] about different people&quot; and &quot;shut down your libraries.&quot; She argues that America is no longer a beacon to the rest of the world as we rely on &quot;-isms&quot; <a href="https://t.co/3kIpG5wZ1P">pic.twitter.com/3kIpG5wZ1P</a>
&mdash; Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1621186168963448835?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Claiming that the Pledge of Allegiance &#8220;doesn&#8217;t apply to a lot of our citizens,&#8221; Hostin complained that America also &#8220;hasn&#8217;t met the dream of being exceptional. It hasn&#8217;t meant this dream of being a beacon on the hill.&#8221;
Hostin went on to note that the Supreme Court had ruled that people could not be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, but said that wasn&#8217;t enough for her. Instead, she argued that schools should stop teaching the idea of American exceptionalism until the country had &#8220;met the promise&#8221; of what it could be.
Goldberg jumped back in then, complaining that America was supposed to be a place where people could &#8220;call out&#8221; the &#8220;isms&#8221; instead of allowing things like racism to persist — and claiming that people were becoming less free to do that.

Variety, The New York Party – Arrivals

‘The View’ Hosts Lose It Over Pledge Of Allegiance: It ‘Doesn’t Apply To A Lot Of Our Citizens’

'The View' Hosts Lose It Over Pledge Of Allegiance: It 'Doesn't Apply To A Lot Of Our Citizens'

Media

Pledge of Allegiance

The View

Whoopi Goldberg

U.S. Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-gaetz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Gaetz</a> (R-FL) reintroduced legislation Thursday titled the “PENCIL Act” that would call to ban fellow Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) from handling any classified information.
Gaetz derived the resolution acronym, “Preventing Extreme Negligence with Classified Information Licenses,” from former President Donald Trump, who first called Schiff “little pencil neck” during a rally in 2019.
“Congressman Adam Schiff led the effort for years to weaponize lies from the Clinton campaign and a corrupt Department of Justice to smear President Trump while destroying any trust the country had left in America’s intelligence agencies,” Gaetz told <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2023/01/26/exclusive-matt-gaetz-pencil-act-adam-schiff/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Caller</a>, which first obtained the legislation text.
Gaetz reintroducing the legislation comes two days after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) formally booted two high-profile Democrats from the House Intelligence Committee — Schiff and fellow California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell.
“Speaker McCarthy kept his promise to remove Rep. Schiff from the Intelligence Committee, and with the PENCIL Resolution, we will express the sense of Congress that he should be barred from accessing any classified information at all,” Gaetz added. “He can no longer be trusted by his colleagues in Congress or the American people.”
McCarthy has the unilateral authority to block members from the House Intelligence Committee as speaker.
McCarthy vowed to bump Schiff and Swalwell from the perches they held for years. McCarthy has also talked about removing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from the Foreign Affairs Committee, but that would take a House floor vote.
Schiff posted on the Chinese-owned TikTok app after McCarthy removed him from the House Intelligence Committee, saying the speaker pulled him “for doing my job, for holding Trump accountable and standing up to the extreme MAGA Republicans.”
Schiff denied taking classified information while speaking with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, who asked if he had taken any records home while serving on the committee.
“This is what’s so astounding, I think, for all of us on the Intelligence Committee,” Schiff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schiff-claims-he-never-took-classified-docs-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I never take classified documents to my house.”
“I don’t know any reason why people would,” Schiff added.
Following the removal of Schiff and Swalwell, former Trump administration official Mike Pompeo accused Schiff of leaking classified information.
“During my time as CIA director and secretary of state, I know that he leaked classified information that had been provided to him,” Pompeo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-cia-director-accuses-schiff-of-leaking-classified-information" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, adding when the administration provided information to Schiff and his staff, such documents “ended up in places it shouldn’t have been with alarming regularity.”
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this report.

Vote For Speaker Of The House Stretches Into Fourth Day

Gaetz Takes Jab At Schiff With ‘PENCIL Act’ Reintroduction

Gaetz Takes Jab At Schiff With ‘PENCIL Act' Reintroduction

Adam Schiff

Joe Biden ran for president three times before he finally won the White House. And 2020 was simply the perfect time for him to give it another go.
As he neared 80, Biden had slowed down considerably from his rambunctious days as a senator and vice president. But with the emergence of COVID, Biden barely hit the campaign trail, running his operation out of the basement of his Delaware mansion.
And let&#8217;s be frank: many Americans had tired of President Donald Trump&#8217;s act. Many independents who decided to give the outsider a shot in 2016 broke hard for Biden in 2020.
But Biden&#8217;s usefulness may have expired. While the president has declared he plans to run again in 2024, at least one lawmaker thinks Democrats are planning to jettison him for a better candidate.
They may have just the right formula. The discovery of classified documents in Biden&#8217;s garage and the U.S. attorney general&#8217;s recent appointment of a special counsel to probe the matter gives Democrats a vehicle to weaken Biden.
&#8220;I mean, there&#8217;s an element of this where it&#8217;s Joe Biden&#8217;s lawyer who turns this information over, it&#8217;s Joe Biden&#8217;s own Justice Department that&#8217;s appointed a special counsel to investigate him,&#8221; Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/matt-gaetz-classified-docs-scandal-feels-like-democrats-taking-out-joe-biden">told</a> Fox News Digital.
&#8220;There&#8217;s an element to this that feels like the Democrats are taking out Joe Biden,&#8221; Gaetz said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know that that&#8217;s the case, but I don&#8217;t know that it&#8217;s not.&#8221;
&#8220;Maybe the Democrats have realized that Joe Biden is not useful to them anymore, and they just assume toss him out and get a younger crop of candidates engaged in the next presidential race,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But just as Joe Biden is hardening the cement around his decision to run for president again, they start looking for what classified documents might have been tucked away eight years ago.&#8221;
In the last couple of months, three batches of Obama administration-era classified documents have been found on Biden&#8217;s properties: one batch at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, D.C., and two at his Wilmington, Delaware, home.
The first batch was found just days before the 2022 midterm elections, but the Department of Justice didn&#8217;t release the info until this month.
&#8220;We have a lot to learn about the content and substance of those documents, and if they relate to China, and if they were at that Biden Center at UPenn funded by China. That&#8217;s going to be a far more grave concern,&#8221; Gaetz said.
&#8220;What if the documents relate to our economy?&#8221; he said. &#8220;What if Joe Biden was hustling information to his CCP [Chinese Communist Party] funders at the Biden Center for UPenn and that gave China economic advantage over Americans? That would create a nexus between those documents and our economic woes at the hands of rising China.&#8221;
Gaetz acknowledged that everything is speculative until the contents of the recovered documents are revealed.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t been frothing at the mouth over the mere existence of some documents in a garage in Delaware,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You know, I believe Americans are more worried about the weaponization of government against them than they are, you know, what papers Joe Biden stuffed in [the] glove box of his Corvette.&#8221;
&#8220;If they are mementos or, you know, documents that have far outlived any sort of functional relevance quite some time ago, then I think that’s different,&#8221; Gaetz said.
After 68 days of silence, Biden on Thursday finally commented on the fiasco.
&#8220;We found a handful of documents were filed in the wrong place. We immediately turned them over to the Archives and the Justice Department. We&#8217;re fully cooperating, looking forward to getting this resolved quickly,&#8221; Biden said.
&#8220;I think you&#8217;re gonna&#8217; find there&#8217;s nothing there. I have no regrets. I&#8217;m following what the lawyers have told me they want me to do. That&#8217;s exactly what we&#8217;re doing. There&#8217;s no there there.&#8221;
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

MEXICO-US-BIDEN-VISIT

Are Democrats Trying To Take Biden Out Before 2024?

Are Democrats Trying To Take President Joe Biden Out Before 2024?

Communist China

Executive

Joe Biden

Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marjorie-taylor-greene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> (R-GA) slammed Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-gaetz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Gaetz</a> (R-FL) online following the drama that unfolded earlier this month during the battle for who would be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The remarks from Greene come as the 48-year-old lawmaker has undergone an aggressive rebranding following her chaotic first days in office.
Greene&#8217;s efforts have resulted in her breaking away from the fringes of the party and becoming more of a team player, which has elevated her profile in the Republican Party.
Gaetz congratulated Greene for gaining spots on key committees after Democrats forced her off her committee assignments during her first term in Congress.
&#8220;Bravo @mtgreenee!&#8221; Gaetz tweeted. &#8220;She’s going to do amazing work for the people on these key committees she has EARNED. &#8216;Rep. MTG of Gerogia is back on committee assignments now that Republicans have retaken the House and the Rep. Gaetz-led revolt has put some steel in McCarthy’s spine.’”
Greene responded, &#8220;Thanks to @SpeakerMcCarthy &amp; Steering for voting me on the committees I requested on the submission form most of us filled out.&#8221;
&#8220;Too bad we’re weeks behind after you spent a week only getting MTV from 5 to 1,&#8221; Greene continued. &#8220;As the leading MAGA voice in Congress, I look forward to committees.&#8221;
MTV stands for “<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/speaker-of-the-house-ousted-motion-to-vacate-rcna64902" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motion to vacate</a>.” It previously took multiple members of Congress to bring forward a motion to vote on the ousting of the Speaker of the House, but now it will only take a single member. According to NBC News, “The threshold for bringing a motion to vacate stayed at just a single member of Congress until 2019 when Democrats took the majority,” and raised the threshold.
Gaetz seemed stunned by Greene&#8217;s response, writing: &#8220;Well, we got a few other things but I’m thrilled the MTV is back to the pre-Pelosi standard. Totally worth it!&#8221;
&#8220;We the People will be in better hands with MTG holding the corrupt Biden Admin accountable via committee service,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I’m so here for it.&#8221;
&#8220;The rules package did not change at all from Jan 1st to Jan 6th, except MTV went from 5 to 1,&#8221; Greene responded. &#8220;Literally anyone can read them online and see that. All substantial negotiations happened in conference &amp; 5 families meetings before the 15 ballots starting on Jan 3rd.&#8221;
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Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerMcCarthy</a> &amp; Steering for voting me on the committees I requested on the submission form most of us filled out.
Too bad we’re weeks behind after you spent a week only getting MTV from 5 to 1.
As the leading MAGA voice in Congress, I look forward to committees. <a href="https://t.co/2dOYSPu2NK">https://t.co/2dOYSPu2NK</a>
&mdash; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1615775969087823877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The rules package did not change at all from Jan 1st to Jan 6th, except MTV went from 5 to 1. Literally anyone can read them online and see that. All substantial negotiations happened in conference &amp; 5 families meetings before the 15 ballots starting on Jan 3rd.
&mdash; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1615786000604610575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Republican House Members Hold Press Conference To Discuss Ukraine Funding

Marjorie Taylor Greene Torches Matt Gaetz On Twitter

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Twitter

Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/matt-gaetz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Gaetz</a> (R-FL) revealed a bill on Wednesday that would terminate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
<a href="https://gaetz.house.gov/sites/gaetz.house.gov/files/documents/Gaetz%20Abolish%20the%20ATF%20Act%202023.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The legislation</a>, called the &#8220;Abolish the ATF Act,&#8221; simply orders the disbandment of the <a href="https://www.atf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">law enforcement agency</a> under the Justice Department.
&#8220;House Republicans have the ATF in our crosshairs,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz/status/1615785368699158544" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gaetz said in a tweet</a>. &#8220;The continued existence of the ATF is increasingly unwarranted based on their repeated actions to convert law-abiding citizens into felons. My bill today would abolish the ATF once and for all.&#8221;
Gaetz <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gaetz-introduces-abolish-atf-act-ruling-against-stabilizing-braces" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Fox News</a> the &#8220;final straw&#8221; came last week when the Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-new-rule-address-stabilizing-braces-accessories-used-convert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced a new rule</a> to tighten ATF regulations on stabilizing braces that ATF Director Steven Dettelbach said essentially turn pistols into more dangerous short-barreled rifles, which are subject to <a href="https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/docs/undefined/factoringcriteriaforfirearmswithattachedstabilizingbracespdf/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more security checks</a>.
While Attorney General Merrick Garland and Dettelbach characterized the rule as being part of an effort to crack down on gun violence and bolster public safety, gun rights advocates cast the changes as <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-lawmakers-nra-slam-atf-rule-regulate-pistol-braces-unconstitutional-overreach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unconstitutional overreach</a> that could adversely affect millions of citizens.
Gaetz particularly raised concerns about disabled veterans in his district who depend on stabilizing braces, and shrugged off <a href="https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/factoring-criteria-firearms-attached-stabilizing-braces?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ATF&#8217;s assurance that exemptions exist</a> for individuals with disabilities because it could lead to arduous &#8220;case-by-case determinations.&#8221;
Gaetz, who is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/video/marjorie-taylor-greene-introduces-bill-183800945.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">co-sponsored a bill</a> introduced in 2021 by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) that aimed to dismantle the ATF. At the time, Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress, but now Republicans are in charge of the House.
If his bill to abolish ATF fails, Gaetz said there will be other actions taken against the agency, including a bid to defund it. The congressman also told Fox News there is &#8220;broad support&#8221; among Republicans to &#8220;go after the actions of ATF.&#8221;

Matt Gaetz Unveils Bill To Abolish ATF

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)

After offering the public unvarnished views of dramatic scenes during the House speaker vote last week, C-SPAN could regain control of cameras in the House chamber thanks to a new amendment being offered by a Republican lawmaker.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is bringing forward an amendment that would require the House speaker to allow four cameras owned and operated by C-SPAN to broadcast and record proceedings on the chamber floor, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gaetz-introduces-amendment-bring-c-span-cameras-back-house-floor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Fox News</a>.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve received a lot of feedback from constituents about how interesting it was, and that you were able to see in real-time how our government is functioning, what alliances are being created, what discussions are being had, what animated moments drive the action,&#8221; Gaetz told the news outlet. &#8220;And the pool view of the Congress is antiquated and a little boomer-fied.&#8221;
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.⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMattGaetz</a>⁩ amendment to the House Rules package would allow CSPAN cameras to film the House floor at all times — as we saw last week <a href="https://t.co/EVC7tmdP2o">pic.twitter.com/EVC7tmdP2o</a>
&mdash; Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1612883286308560901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Republican-led House elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker in the 15th ballot just after midnight Saturday. During that days-long process, C-SPAN garnered positive reviews for how its operators captured some of the most dynamic moments in the House chamber during negotiations and voting with its wide array of camera angles. In one particularly kinetic moment Friday night, cameras caught Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) being <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matt-gaetz-says-all-is-forgiven-after-house-floor-row-with-fellow-gop-rep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pulled away by a colleague</a> to stop a confrontation with Gaetz.
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Chaos on the House floor: After losing the 14th ballot for Speaker, Kevin McCarthy appeared to plead with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to change his vote from present to McCarthy.
Then, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) had to be held back from going at Gaetz. <a href="https://t.co/foyCRVYrw1">pic.twitter.com/foyCRVYrw1</a>
&mdash; The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1611577175014248448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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There was some fun to be had too. Cameras that captured Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) chatting with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Gaetz exchanging words with McCarthy led to humorous mock interpretations by Bad Lip Reading, a popular Twitter account, that quickly went viral.
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AOC montage with Gosar and Gaetz. <a href="https://t.co/laxwktKpwF">pic.twitter.com/laxwktKpwF</a>
&mdash; Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1610375672001712128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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They don&#39;t always discuss politics<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/aoc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#aoc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/118thCongress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#118thCongress</a> <a href="https://t.co/XkXHGf0C5s">pic.twitter.com/XkXHGf0C5s</a>
&mdash; Bad Lip Reading (@BadLipReading) <a href="https://twitter.com/BadLipReading/status/1610802268416380928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Everything changes once you know what McCarthy and Gaetz were actually saying<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/118thCongress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#118thCongress</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KevinMcCarthy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KevinMcCarthy</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MattGaetz?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MattGaetz</a> <a href="https://t.co/8Yr7LCtioC">pic.twitter.com/8Yr7LCtioC</a>
&mdash; Bad Lip Reading (@BadLipReading) <a href="https://twitter.com/BadLipReading/status/1611934183110365184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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For decades, <a href="https://www.house.gov/feature-stories/2019-3-15-celebrating-40-years-of-the-house-recording-studio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the House Recording Studio</a> has usually maintained control of cameras in the House chamber, similar to how the Senate Recording Studio <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/who-controls-the-cameras-in-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">operates in the Senate</a>, and C-SPAN is given permission to broadcast footage that is captured. Rare exceptions are made for special events, such as the State of the Union and the speaker vote, <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/4axe9p/why-c-spans-camera-work-is-suddenly-so-interesting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to VICE</a>.
C-SPAN announced on Monday, as the House began <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-republicans-pass-rules-for-mccarthys-reign-with-one-gop-holdout" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consideration of a rules package</a>, that government-operated cameras were back and that it returned to broadcasting the feed from the chamber.
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NOTE: C-SPAN cameras are no longer in the House chamber. We have resumed using the feed from House/government-operated cameras.
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1612570750522740757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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But since the speaker vote, members on both sides of the aisle have voiced support for changing how cameras are operated in the chamber.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMarkPocan/status/1612554303213916182" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted that C-SPAN&#8217;s coverage</a> of the speaker vote &#8220;was worthy of an Oscar&#8221; and said he planned to introduce legislation to require &#8220;House cameras to continue to capture the full Chamber &amp; not just what the Speaker wants.&#8221; Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) told CNN over the weekend he thought it was <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/08/c-span-cameras-congress-speaker-00076926" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a &#8220;good thing&#8221;</a> to let C-SPAN cameras run free.
Gaetz touted how C-SPAN cameras caught him talking with Democrats in &#8220;humanizing&#8221; moments that stand in stark contrast to &#8220;high-octane moments&#8221; often seen during contentious hearings. He specifically cited conversations with Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).
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WATCH: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee reveals conversation she held with Rep. Gaetz following GOP confrontation of 14th ballot vote. <a href="https://t.co/RdYLvfum24">https://t.co/RdYLvfum24</a> <a href="https://t.co/g7HYrEzmyp">pic.twitter.com/g7HYrEzmyp</a>
&mdash; MSNBC (@MSNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1611595550024933377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL). <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/118thCongress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#118thCongress</a> <a href="https://t.co/eWBV9noSO0">pic.twitter.com/eWBV9noSO0</a>
&mdash; Jeremy Art (@cspanJeremy) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspanJeremy/status/1611433383850123264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;There are there are moments of bipartisanship and collegiality that occur every day,&#8221; Gaetz said. &#8220;And the country doesn&#8217;t get to see those.&#8221;

Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas talks with Republican Matt Gaetz

Matt Gaetz Wants To Bring C-SPAN Cameras Back On House Floor

C-Span

House Speaker

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) said Monday that he plans on stepping down from serving on the GOP Steering Committee after a congressional colleague physically restrained him from lunging at Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) during the Speaker of the House vote last weekend.
Rogers currently represents Region 6 on the steering committee, which includes Alabama and Tennessee. The body makes assignments to be voted on by the Democratic Caucus or Republican Conference.
However, he told <a href="https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1612447243285549057">Politico</a> he would vacate his seat later this week &#8220;on his own accord,&#8221; tasking region members to elect a new representative.
Rogers further noted to the news outlet there is a chance he could change his mind.
The lawmaker&#8217;s decision comes days after North Carolina Republican Rep. Richard Hudson had to hold Rogers back in the dramatic confrontation with Gaetz, who was one of the last GOP holdouts blocking Rep. Kevin McCarthy from assuming the role of Speaker of the House during the midnight hours on Saturday.
The two have since resolved their differences in the aftermath of McCarthy securing the speaker&#8217;s gavel.
&#8220;@RepMattGaetz and I have a long and productive working relationship, that I am sure will continue,&#8221; Rogers said in a tweet. &#8220;I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt&#8217;s kind understanding.&#8221;
Gaetz extended his &#8220;forgiveness&#8221; to Rogers, adding the lawmaker shouldn&#8217;t face &#8220;any punishment or reprisal just because he had an animated moment.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMattGaetz</a> and I have a long and productive working relationship, that I am sure will continue. I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt’s kind understanding. <a href="https://t.co/8GmbJHO3cK">https://t.co/8GmbJHO3cK</a>
&mdash; Mike Rogers (@RepMikeRogersAL) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeRogersAL/status/1612173457323614211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Politico reported that Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) has his eye on the position while Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) is “aggressively” working to garner support for the regional spot if Rogers ultimately decides to step down.
Rogers has not made any further comments on his decision.
The 118th Congress resumed on Monday to move forward on a rules package after the week of voting to select McCarthy, who won after 15 ballots with 216 votes over Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ (D-NY) 212 votes after six Republican members voted “present,” which lowered the bar needed for McCarthy to clinch the position.

Fourth day of 118th Congress

Rep. Mike Rogers To Step Down From GOP Steering Committee Days After Tense Confrontation With Fellow Republican

Rep. Mike Rogers To Step Down From GOP Steering Committee After Tense Confrontation With Fellow Republican 

House Republicans

Firebrand Florida <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gaetz-says-hell-resign-if-dems-put-mccarthy-over-the-top-takes-swipe-at-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rep. Matt Gaetz</a> offered an olive branch to fellow Republican Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), over a tense confrontation Friday on the House floor that led to Rogers being physically restrained by colleagues.
Gaetz, who was one of the last GOP holdouts blocking Kevin McCarthy from assuming the role of speaker of the House, drew Rogers ire after Gaetz voted &#8220;present&#8221; in the 14th ballot to once again deny McCarthy. Rogers had to be held back by North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson in the dramatic confrontation that was followed by another vote in which McCarthy took the speaker&#8217;s gavel.
&#8220;@RepMikeRogersAL and I have a six-year productive, working relationship,&#8221; Gaetz tweeted. &#8220;We&#8217;re going to work together wonderfully going forward. I don&#8217;t think there should be any punishment or reprisal just because he had an animated moment. He has my forgiveness.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMattGaetz</a> and I have a long and productive working relationship, that I am sure will continue. I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt’s kind understanding. <a href="https://t.co/8GmbJHO3cK">https://t.co/8GmbJHO3cK</a>
&mdash; Mike Rogers (@RepMikeRogersAL) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeRogersAL/status/1612173457323614211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Gaetz&#8217;s response also included a video link to his interview on &#8220;Fox News Live&#8221; in which he shared similar words.
&#8220;Mike Rogers is going to be a terrific chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and we share a deep commitment to our national defense, to our men and women in uniform,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Of course, in a late-night moment of high drama, people can have moments of frustration.&#8221;
Rogers soon replied with a public apology to Gaetz concerning his actions.
&#8220;@RepMattGaetz and I have a long and productive working relationship, that I am sure will continue. I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt’s kind understanding,&#8221; he tweeted.
Gaetz was one of 20 Republicans who initially refused to vote for McCarthy to become House speaker.  The holdouts finally relented, with members either voting for McCarthy or voting &#8220;present&#8221; to lower the 218-vote threshold, after winning a series of pledges from McCarthy.
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Most extraordinary CSpan floor video I have ever seen <a href="https://t.co/sFTPF8WCdJ">https://t.co/sFTPF8WCdJ</a>
&mdash; Erik Wasson (@elwasson) <a href="https://twitter.com/elwasson/status/1611692661504905216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
In an interview with the New York Post, Gaetz said some of McCarthy&#8217;s concessions to the GOP holdouts could be seen as early as Monday.
“I feel like the American people won. I feel that the House of Representatives will be a healthier institution,” Gaetz <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/01/07/freedom-caucus-earns-major-concessions-from-kevin-mccarthy/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Post. “Many of these things had been resisted by Kevin McCarthy as early as Monday and now we have an exquisite rules package.”
Congress resumes on Monday to move forward on a rules package after the week of voting to select McCarthy.

MIke Rogers and Matt Gaetz

Matt Gaetz Says All Is Forgiven After House Floor Row With Fellow GOP Rep

Alabama

Florida

For good reason, it is rare to call any politician a &#8220;hero,&#8221; but who in The Swamp could be seen in a better light right now than the 20 Republicans who fought the status quo, demanded congressional change, and won this past week?
The conservative congressmen and women (full list of names below) held out on supporting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-kevin-mccarthy-elected-next-speaker-of-the-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)</a> all week, after working behind the scenes since the summertime, to ensure that Republicans would actually have the tools and rules necessary to effectively disrupt the way Washington works for the better.
Not only did these <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/far-right-kooks-lunatics-terrorists-anarchists-all-the-names-the-gop-establishment-has-called-the-house-freedom-caucus-over-the-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">individuals withstand pressure and insults such as &#8220;terrorists,&#8221; &#8220;enemies,&#8221; </a>and comparisons to the Taliban from their House colleagues this past week, but they also stood against outside criticism from those who thought it better to simply vote in McCarthy without question.
These representatives knew what they wanted, knew what their voters expected of them, and worked tirelessly for it. The debate and temporary gridlock were a moral and political necessity.
Consider that all week long, the GOP establishment claimed that the anti-McCarthy crowd had no specific demands. As this author previously wrote, that idea was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-nonsense-to-say-the-anti-mccarthy-speakership-crowd-has-no-specific-requests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nonsense</a>.
The group&#8217;s fundamental complaint was that the federal government has grown in scope and power thus harming the quality of life in America.
In order to stop that decline, these 20 individuals wanted explicit changes in the House as well as assurances regarding the makeup of certain congressional committees.
Ultimately, in order to support McCarthy, the majority of this group needed to have confidence that the new Congress would put forth conservative legislation, have the means to block bad bills, and authority to hold corrupt actors inside and outside the government accountable. Many had differing ideas as to how to do that, some even saying they could never support McCarthy, but it was clear that as a whole, they weren&#8217;t seeking change for the mere sake of doing something different.
In turn, establishment allies wanted the American people to believe that Congress was in a &#8220;hostage&#8221; situation. Why? Well, because these conservatives dared to demand that Congress act conservatively with guardrails in place.
The holdouts, we were told, had no desire to discuss anything and were blocking the GOP from governing.
In reality, those who were refusing to vote for McCarthy were arguing their ideas to anybody who would listen. Behind closed doors, they were making deals to get their desired results as explained to the public.
Saturday morning, after 15 rounds of voting, the American people can now see which compromises McCarthy made in order to swing votes his way.
That fact alone raises the question of how exactly could McCarthy make concessions on stipulations that were supposedly non-existent. It&#8217;s unlikely those most vocal against these negotiated agreements will ever answer that one. Courtesy of <a href="https://www.zerohedge.com/political/here-are-concessions-mccarthy-had-make-speakership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zerohedge</a>, here&#8217;s a partial list of what we&#8217;ll see out of the People&#8217;s House this year:
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>As has been reported, it will only take a single congressperson, acting in what is known as a Jeffersonian Motion, to move to remove the Speaker if he or she goes back on their word or policy agenda.</li>
<li>A “Church” style committee will be convened to look into the weaponization of the FBI and other government organizations (presumably the CIA, the subject of the original Church Committee) against the American people.</li>
<li>Term limits will be put up for a vote.</li>
<li>[Spending] Bills presented to Congress will be single subject, not omnibus with all the attendant earmarks, and there will be a 72-hour minimum period to read them.</li>
<li>The Texas Border Plan will be put before Congress. From The Hill: “The four-pronged plan aims to ‘Complete Physical Border Infrastructure,’ ‘Fix Border Enforcement Policies,’ ‘Enforce our Laws in the Interior’ and ‘Target Cartels &amp; Criminal Organizations.’”</li>
<li>COVID mandates will be ended, as will all funding for them, including so-called “emergency funding.”</li>
<li>Budget bills would stop the endless increases in the debt ceiling and hold the Senate accountable for the same.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
There are other points, such as capping fiscal year spending in 2024 at 2022 levels across the board, but none of this should come as a surprise. These requests were all known throughout the week.
In light of it all, the question really should be why the other 200-plus Republicans supporting McCarthy weren&#8217;t also demanding these items in the first place.
For some reason, Republicans fretted that this entire standoff would end with Speaker Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The base was told it was a national embarrassment for Republicans everywhere — as if the GOP establishment doesn’t embarrass itself on its own plenty.
A Democratic speaker was realistically never going to occur because it would have been political suicide for any Republican to lend support to Jeffries.
Still, despite threats, name-calling, and more — these 20 did not budge. Perhaps it is because conservatives in the House who want to do more than simply provide lip service have been treated pretty badly by the party over the years — especially the Freedom Caucus.
Since 2015, folks like ex-<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boehner-cries-for-pelosi-while-conservatives-weep-for-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)</a> have called the Freedom Caucus far-right kooks, lunatics, and other denigrating names.
In this latest battle against their moderate party members, it would have been easy to throw in the towel.
Yet as Congressman Dan Bishop (R-NC) explained in a statement via Twitter, he &#8220;came to Washington to change the status quo.&#8221; He and his other co-holdouts didn&#8217;t come to The Beltway to go-along and get-along. Bishop worked with the others to &#8220;cause the Republican Conference to reform rules and procedures, commit to specific policy strategies, and improve the distribution of conservative voices across key committees.&#8221;
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My statement on today&#39;s agreement: <a href="https://t.co/wgedesD4LG">pic.twitter.com/wgedesD4LG</a>
&mdash; Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDanBishop/status/1611451737713287174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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It should be noted that the rules package will be voted on in the coming week. That package will heavily decide how the new Congress works, but it is likely to pass given the GOP majority.
As mentioned, the term &#8220;hero&#8221; never really should be used for politicians because they so often disappoint. It is likely these 20 Republicans praised in this column will fail the American people at various points in the future.
Above all else, they still need to put in the actual work to defeat the Left in all its forms. Nobody should be putting their faith in the U.S. government — least of all Congress — to save the country.
Yet the first step toward that end could be the reforms introduced this week thanks to those who bucked the party.
In order to have a truly conservative Congress and federal government, there is much more work to do. It will take years, and more likely decades, to roll back the administrative state and stem the tide of social degradation advanced by The Uniparty.
For now, though, the 20 Republicans who held out in order to secure the first meaningful reform in decades can be found here:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Heroes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Heroes</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepBoebert?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepBoebert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMattGaetz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAndyBiggsAZ</a><a href="https://twitter.com/EliCraneAZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EliCraneAZ</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepBobGood?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepBobGood</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepRosendale?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepRosendale</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepDanBishop?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepDanBishop</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Brecheen4OK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Brecheen4OK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RepCloudTX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepCloudTX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Rep_Clyde?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Rep_Clyde</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepGosar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepGosar</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ByronDonalds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@byrondonalds</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepAndyHarrisMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepAndyHarrisMD</a><a href="https://twitter.com/VoteAPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VoteAPL</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepMaryMiller?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMaryMiller</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepRalphNorman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepRalphNorman</a><a href="https://twitter.com/AndyOgles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndyOgles</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepScottPerry?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepScottPerry</a><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChipRoy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepChipRoy</a><a href="https://twitter.com/SelfForCongress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SelfForCongress</a> <a href="https://t.co/kC9bETRCUY">pic.twitter.com/kC9bETRCUY</a>
&mdash; Jewels Jones (@JewelsJonesLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/JewelsJonesLive/status/1611788566962794497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The 20 House Republicans Who Demanded Change And Won Are Seen As Heroes – Not Holdouts – To Many

Byron Donalds

Freedom Caucus

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