Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tennessee) was one of the eight Republicans who voted to oust Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California) in a motion to vacate brought Rep. Matt Gaetz (D-FL).
While the Republican Party continues to struggle to replace McCarthy after both Rep. Steve Scalise (Louisiana) and Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio) failed in their attempts to win the required 217 votes, many House Republicans continue to mock and blame those eight for the current “chaos.” (McCarthy himself said: “What history will look at is the ‘Crazy Eight Led by Gaetz.’”)
Burchett was asked by Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo — on the 21st day of the House of Representatives not having a Speaker — to comment on Rep. Tom McClintock‘s (R-CA) sarcastic letter to Gaetz, who led the McCarthy ouster.
McClintock wrote to Gaetz: “Your letter of October 20, in which you graciously offer to martyr yourselves as long as you get your way, is perhaps the most selfless act in American history.”
BREAKING: All 8 Republicans Who Voted to Remove McCarthy From Speakership Are Willing to Accept “Censure, Suspension, or Removal From the Conference” In Order to Elect @Jim_Jordan as Speaker
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 20, 2023
“If the holdouts who refuse to vote for Speaker-Designate Jim Jordan would be willing to… pic.twitter.com/FKBKrzgwvc
Burchett replied: “Well, Tom is a lifer. I’m mean, he’s a part of the machine, obviously. He voted against term limits for goodness sakes. I mean, who does that in the Republican party?”
Burchett adds: “Everybody keeps saying we wrecked this thing but how did we wreck something that was 33 trillion dollars in debt?” He added: “I would dare say that no one in leadership was actually focused on that. That’s why were in the situation that we’re in.”
Note: In June, President Joe Biden and McCarthy reached an agreement on a deal to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and worked to ensure enough support in Congress to pass the measure.
