Congress

A Year of Fury and Feuding: GOP Lawmakers Are Still Reeling From McCarthy’s Removal

“In the history of politics, it was the single stupidest thing I’ve ever seen,” New York Rep. Mike Lawler said.

Kevin McCarthy leaves the House floor after being ousted as Speaker of the House.

Speaker Mike Johnson’s negotiating style hasn’t represented much of a shift from the McCarthy era. Mark Schiefelbein/AP

By Haley Byrd Wilt

October 01, 2024 05:00 AM

On a normal day, the House of Representatives is chaotic, loud and full of members jockeying for power.

But on Oct. 3 last year, the people’s House outdid itself.

For the first time in history, members voted to remove the House speaker. It prompted a month of finger-pointing and feuding within the Republican conference. Three floor votes to replace an ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy failed — embarrassingly — during a pivotal moment on the international stage.