OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy believes that the issues the Republican majority and the current House Speaker Mike Johnson are having started when he was removed from the role.
The Republican edge was razor thin when they took control in 2022, and it has continued to wither with the recent departures of McCarthy, Rep. Ken Buck, and Rep. Mike Gallagher.
With Gallagher retiring, that will bring the GOP majority to a single member.
The former Speaker spoke with Fox News’ Jesse Watters on Friday and said that House Republicans began losing their edge when Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and a group of other Republicans voted to remove him as Speaker.
“Kevin, what is going on with the spending, and what just happened with Johnson?” the host asked.
“I don’t know what they’re doing spending now, but when I became Speaker, I instituted a 72-hour rule that got not just the members the opportunity to read the bill, but America as well,” the former Speaker said, the Washington Times reported. “You’d never waive it unless it’s a Continuing Resolution, something you’re already doing so people would know.
“I think it’s always helpful to allow people to read the bill, allow America to read the bill. And really, this comes down to what’s happening in Congress today. It goes back to when those eight Republicans led by Gaetz partnered with every single Democrat to decide who could be Speaker. That’s when Republicans lost the majority,” he continued.
“Jesse, remember what we were able to do in a small majority of the first nine months?” he said. “The strongest, most conservative border security bill, energy independence. We did a Parents’ Bill of Rights. We stopped DC from decriminalizing. We stopped the pandemic officially. We stopped them from kicking out our men and women in the military who refuse the vaccine. We have the biggest cut in savings voted in American history — more than $2 trillion. We got welfare reform. We cut $20 billion of that from the IRS that was going to hire to go after us, very successful and you work together with a small majority, and all those bills had 72 hours to read them because people could get behind them.”
Gallagher announced his departure from Congress on Friday.
“After conversations with my family, I have made the decision to resign my position as a member of the House of Representatives for Wisconsin’s Eighth Congressional District, effective April 19, 2024,” the representative said.
“I’ve worked closely with House Republican leadership on this timeline and look forward to seeing Speaker Johnson appoint a new chair to carry out the important mission of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. My office will continue to operate and provide constituent services to the Eighth District for the remainder of the term,” he said.
“Four terms serving Northeast Wisconsin in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime and strengthened my conviction that America is the greatest country in the history of the world. I will forever be proud of the work I did on the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, chairing the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, and chairing the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. It has truly been an honor to serve in the House of Representatives,” he said.
His announcement came after Buck resigned.
“It has been an honor to serve the people of Colorado’s 4th District in Congress for the past 9 years. I want to thank them for their support and encouragement throughout the years,” he said this month.
“Today, I am announcing that I will depart Congress at the end of next week. I look forward to staying involved in our political process, as well as spending more time in Colorado and with my family,” he said.
