Vermont Business Magazine Congresswoman Becca Balint (D-Vermont) released the following statement after she voted with the majority in the historic vote ousting the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker Kevin McCarthy is the first Speaker in history to be so removed, as a handful of far-right members of his own Republican caucus forced the no-confidence vote. Only a handful of Republicans needed to abandon him because of the GOP's slim margin in the House.
Last weekend's budget deal, which passed both chambers in a landslide, appeared to be the last straw for those conservative members. McCarthy's pleas for Democrats to join him failed, in large part because of his fealty to former President Donald Trump after the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
The vote was 216-210, with Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) appointed as the speaker pro tem. A fierce fight is expected to ensue to find a successor.
Balint: “I ran for Congress because our democracy is in crisis. Since the first week of this session, the House has been led by a speaker whose failure to govern with integrity is actively eroding our democracy. Kevin McCarthy enables dangerous extremism that has real consequences for Vermonters and working families across the country. He’s sold his speakership to the highest bidder: MAGA extremists - shepherding through their agenda to ban abortion, attack marginalized people, prop up billionaires, and pollute our communities. He has shown time and time again that he is not a partner we can trust, breaking every promise he has made over the last nine months. This Congress has urgent work to do. I will continue to fight extremism while working hard on behalf of Vermonters.”
Source: 10.3.2023. Washington, DC - Balint
