Earlier on Tuesday, the House made history by voting to oust Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House as a result of taking up Rep. Matt Gaetz's motion to vacate the chair. Democrats responded by making it about themselves, taking the opportunity in the midst of a Republican civil war to pat themselves on the back. This included a statement that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
"President Biden has demonstrated that he is always eager to work with both parties in Congress in good faith on behalf of the American people," the statement started off by claiming, despite how President Joe Biden frequently demonizes his political opponents. Jean-Pierre herself was found to be in violation of the Hatch Act for smearing Republicans as "Mega MAGA Republicans."
"Because the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait, he hopes the House will quickly elect a Speaker. The American people deserve leadership that puts the issues affecting their lives front and center, as President Biden did today with more historic action to lower prescription drug prices. Once the House has met their responsibility to elect a Speaker, he looks forward to working together with them and with the Senate to address the American peoples’ priorities," the statement continued.
Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the House Motion to Vacatehttps://t.co/8fiBxhMGnl
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) October 3, 2023
President Biden has demonstrated that he is always eager to work with both parties in Congress in good faith on behalf of the American people. Because the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait, he hopes the House will quickly elect a Speaker.
— Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) October 3, 2023
As was the case with both the debt ceiling and now the continuing resolution (CR) that passed on Saturday to fund the government for 45-days, Biden dropped very much dropped the ball in working with McCarthy when he was the speaker.
During last Friday's White House press briefing, at which point a government shutdown seemed imminent, Jean-Pierre couldn't or wouldn't speak to Biden's ability to meet with the then speaker to avoid a government shutdown.
Reporter: Is Biden willing to meet with @SpeakerMcCarthy to avoid a Biden shutdown?
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 29, 2023
Karine Jean-Pierre: No pic.twitter.com/HoHmizr51T
Karine Jean-Pierre can't even say the last time Biden spoke to @SpeakerMcCarthy to avoid a Biden shutdown.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 29, 2023
He'd rather blame Republicans. pic.twitter.com/5nEgfkC3yL
Then, during Monday and Tuesday's briefings, Jean-Pierre continued to cause confusion about whether or not Biden and McCarthy had made a deal about funding for the southern border and for Ukraine.
During Tuesday's press briefing especially she failed to provide clarity. "Look, I’m not going to go into depth. What I’m--I’m going to let the--the president’s word stand and I’m not going to elaborate on it," she unhelpfully said.
Reporters are FED UP with KJP! pic.twitter.com/vkJPQnLQeq
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 2, 2023
Karine Jean-Pierre plays cleanup for Biden after he bizarrely lied about having a secret "deal" with @SpeakerMcCarthy pic.twitter.com/t4p0klJNiN
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 3, 2023
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also released a statement, albeit a brief one, about the vote to vacate the chair resulting in the ousting of McCarthy.
"This is a solemn moment for the country and for the House of Representatives. The Constitution gifted us a government of the people, by the people and for the people. House Democrats will continue to put people over politics and work together in a bipartisan way to make life better for everyday Americans. It is our hope that traditional Republicans will walk away from MAGA extremism and join us in partnership for the good of the country," the statement read, using that insult for his Republican opponents that Jeffries and other Democratic leaders so often use.
It's also worth noting that those who are evidently part of the "MAGA extremism" were the ones who voted to oust McCarthy, just as every single Democrat did, under Jeffries' order.
My statement in the aftermath of the Motion to Vacate the Chair. pic.twitter.com/woEbuEt2gw
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) October 3, 2023
This statement came after Jeffries had already issued a previous "Dear Colleague" letter refusing to help McCarthy remain speaker and having made other posts to X. Jeffries, as Katie covered earlier, had told his caucus that they would not be voting to save McCarthy's speakership, a move made official before the vote.
My statement on the chaos, dysfunction and extremism of the House Republican Conference. pic.twitter.com/1AAeBiFtPH
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) October 3, 2023
House Democrats will continue to put people over politics.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) October 3, 2023
We are ready to find bipartisan common ground.
Our extreme colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same.
They must find a way to end the House Republican Civil War.
Jeffries' directive came even as Republican colleagues in the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus made a last-minute appeal to Democratic members. As a result, Republican members are reportedly considering leaving "en masse."
GOP member of the group had complained to me earlier: “Dem PSC members only want problem solvers to work when they are in the majority”
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) October 3, 2023
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