Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) on Wednesday evening claimed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) “bring it on” comments and willingness to take on the threat from hard-line conservatives could be partially to blame for his ouster.
“McCarthy said, ‘Bring it on,’ and it was brought on. It was brought on very quickly,” Frost said on MSNBC’s “The Last Word.” “And unfortunately, we made history, and look, this is a solemn moment, right?”
“The House of Representatives cannot take on any new legislation as of now, all we can do is focus on electing a new Speaker of the House,” the first-term congressman told host Lawrence O’Donnell. “And guess what? The rule that made it so McCarthy right now isn’t the speaker is still the rule.”
He further explained there is no timeline for when the situation can be fixed, and that has put the House GOP Conference in a state of chaos.
“We all knew this was coming. It wasn’t a matter of ‘if,’ it was a matter of ‘when,’” Frost said. “And now, what’s happening right now.”
“We’re less than 45 days away from another government shutdown,” he continued. “We have a budget to get through. We have a lot of work to do. And the Republican Party has imploded from the inside out.”
His remarks came one day after the House successfully voted on a motion to vacate the Speakership. The historic vote was brought on by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), as he and seven other Republican lawmakers joined their Democratic colleagues in a 216-210 vote to remove McCarthy from his leadership position.
McCarthy, ahead of the ouster, dared Gaetz to “bring it on.” The Florida Republican responded with: “Just did” as the motion was filed.
Besides Gaetz, the other seven GOP lawmakers who voted against McCarthy are Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Ken Buck (Colo.), Tim Burchett (Tenn.), Eli Crane (Ariz.), Bob Good (Va.), Nancy Mace (S.C.) and Matt Rosendale (Mont.).
Gaetz, however, said in an interview after McCarthy was removed as Speaker that he has no “personal animus,” or ill will against the California Republican.
“I hope he finds fruitful pastures, and I’m certain he will. But we have got a job to do here,” Gaetz told Fox News. “This is about the job.”
“This is about keeping our commitment to have single-subject spending bills and an actual budget for the first time in half a century,” he added.