Remember when one of the retiring Republicans said something like, “you think this is a big deal, wait until you see the next three resignations”?
If this is true, this is huge.
Anna Paulina Luna says she has been told that as soon as a Motion to Vacate is brought to the floor, at least two moderate Republicans will resign immediately rather than wait until end of their term to flip the House to the Democrats. pic.twitter.com/DyXNDTXrJu
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 19, 2024
Open thread.
lollipopguild
A political party that disassembles itself?
Elizabelle
Isn’t she an unreliable nut job, though?
Villago Delenda Est
@Elizabelle:
Yes, she is an unreliable nut job.
Barbara
I do wonder whether this is just bluster to keep the crazies at bay.
henqiguai
@Elizabelle:
Wait, isn’t that the alternate spelling for ‘GOP’???
UncleEbeneezer
Joyce Vance on Xitter:
Searcher
@Barbara: I feel like the only response to that is “Have you met the crazies?”
WaterGirl
I don’t have a clue who she is, but since Ron Filipkowski tweeted it, I figured it was worth sharing.
WaterGirl
@Barbara: I had a similar thought.
trollhattan
@lollipopguild: Once had deconstructed s’more for dessert at a high-end restaurant. Surprisingly good.
Deconstructed Republicans? Call hazmat.
Redshift
Probably just scare tactics against another faction, but it is actually plausible. If there’s anyone left who cares about getting anyone done instead of posturing and grifting, Johnson getting removed guarantees the rest of their term will be (even more) miserable and embarrassing.
WaterGirl
@trollhattan:
What exactly is a deconstructed s’more?
Baud
I don’t think two resignations gives us control.
WaterGirl
@trollhattan: Maybe Trump’s farts or sharts are actually Humpty Dumpty slowly deconstructing.
Matt McIrvin
Particularly remarkable when you consider that the conventional wisdom is that the Republicans are going to win everything in November.
Ksmiami
@WaterGirl: Graham crumble, dark chocolate sauce, frozen marshmallow meringue
espierce
@Villago Delenda Est: She’s my representative here in Fl-13 and I hope she’s on her way out. She’s got a pro-choice challenger and this district isn’t as red as they think it is.
Harrison Wesley
@lollipopguild: The RNC should never have purchased that Musk technology.
JoyceH
Resignations change the majority by one. To really impact, they’d need to cross the aisle – that gives one loss to the Rs and one gain to the Ds.
Scout211
The latest from Axios and other news sites makes it sound like this is all gamesmanship in public to force concessions from their fellow Republican caucus members.
The motion to vacate has three supporters and two anonymous maybes. Luna threatens that there are “at least” two anonymous House Republicans who will resign and give the Speakership to Jeffries. I won’t believe anything from these liars until it actually happens.
Except for MTG, those on board the motion to vacate threat don’t want a vote, they want Johnson to resign. He already said he will not resign.
So anyway, I don’t think this is anything other than House Republicans trying to game each other in public.
But I wouldn’t mind being surprised.
ETA. Typos.
Frank Wilhoit
@WaterGirl: A Graham cracker, on a roughly square white plate 14 inches on a side, for first course; then a marshmallow, ditto, for second course; etc.
KrackenJack
The latest round of
peopleRepublicans retiring seem to be doing it as spitefully as possible. So it seems plausible independently of the source.I’m off to get extra TJ’s Giant Inca Corn Snacks just in case.
Spanky
OK, Elizabelle got it in 2 while I was walking through Momsense’s house-to-be downstairs.
Ryan
Republicans turning a shitshow over to us. Trademark.
MattF
I think it’s quite possible. One shouldn’t underestimate the unpopularity of Greene and Gaetz— yes, we all despise them but apparently their R colleagues in the House hate them too.
CliosFanboy
Ill believe it when it happens and not before. But I would love to see it!
Lyrebird
@JoyceH: Not disagreeing on the math, but wasn’t Jeffries just several votes shy of the speakership the last time? So if there’s a MTV, and Johnson runs again but has some R fanatics vote for Greene or Roy instead, Speaker Jeffries. I dunno, they may be bluffing of course, but the fact that they’re saying this sure sounds like an STFU PuhLEEZ to MTG and Gaetz.
ETA: I wonder if Leader Jeffries would actually prefer to take the reins in Jan rather than be Speaker with Rs still in the majority, but if the House could function at all that would be a huge improvement!
TBone
Problem: her husband invested their sole investment in a company that uses fetal stem cells.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/florida-congresswoman-sued-the-pentagon-over-stem-cells-one-problem-her-husband-s-stocks/ar-BB1h5wak
I found this out because my neighbors’ son was working on her staff. He moved to some other R lunatic’s office recently.
Martin
Here’s the thing, if this is true, then Jeffries knows it’s true which means he holds control of everything in the House right now. It would help explain why this aid package doesn’t look like it’s being run by lunatics.
sdhays
@Baud: We know Republicans can’t count, especially these Republicans, so as long as they believe it, it can work.
Mousebumples
I mentioned this in a prior thread, but rumor has its that my MoC resigned (and will not be replaced until the November election) due to his wife have PROBLEMS with the Dobbs decision and the GOP shitshow.
Big game of telephone going on here, so I can’t promise accuracy.
I think Gallagher was the one who said, lol, wait till you hear about the next 3 resignations.
TBone
@TBone: I would take anything coming out of her mouth with a huge, shit ton sized, grain of salt.
M31
@KrackenJack: love those corn snacks
I was in a store that had a big selection of Asian snacks, pretty sure Filipino? and they had a huge variety of corn nuts: plain, garlic, spicy, etc. etc. there were SO MANY
had to get a selection and they were all good
JaneE
That sounds too good to be true.
Why not just change parties? Your career in GOP politics is over if you help give control to the Democrats in any way.
TBone
@Elizabelle: exactly 💯 %
TBone
@UncleEbeneezer: I see rainbows and butterflies!
😍
sdhays
@Lyrebird: Politically speaking, I think it’s better for House Republicans to continue showing the nation their (abundant) asses, as long as must-pass legislation actually gets passed. Ukraine funding has languished far too long, but once that’s in the rear-view mirror, we don’t need a Speaker Jeffries until January.
sdhays
@JaneE: Because they still suck. They’re just sucky AND fed up.
Geminid
@Lyrebird: Democrats can always help elect a caretaker Speaker, some former Republican member like Charlie Dent or Jeff Flake. All they need is someone who will put bills with majority approval on the floor. Republican Don Bacon floated this idea back in January of 2023 when this Congress first met.
Anoniminous
Since there has been some confusion, the Speaker can vote: “the Speaker has the same right as other Members to vote but only occasionally exercises it. Manual Sec. 631. The Speaker may vote on any matter that comes before the House, and he is required to vote where his vote would be decisive or where the House is engaged in voting by ballot.” [Cite]
Currently there are 217 R and 213 D for a total of 430 voting seats, divide by 2, add 1 to get 216 for the majority needed to pass a bill. So the Rs can lose one vote and still get business done, e.g., pass a bill.
If 2 Rs resign that makes it 215 R to 213 D for 428, divide by 2, add 1 and get 215 for a majority to pass a bill. Thus the Rs cannot lose a vote to get business done.
Rs need to lose another 3 seats thus dropping to 212, for Ds to have a 1 vote majority at 213.
Eduardo
I don’t think I have been such a good boy so that Diosito grants me Ukraine + Speaker Jeffries.
But 1989 *did* happen.
Anoniminous
@Lyrebird:
Speaker is elected by a majority of Representatives present and voting. At the moment the majority if all are is 216. So two GOP members present and voting for a goober candidate keeps the majority needed at 216 thus denying Pastor Johnson a majority.
Geminid
@Mousebumples: Reports are that Rep. Gallagher will stick around for tomorrow’s vote. He had said he was resigning as of today.
UncleEbeneezer
@M31: I go to H-mart about once a week for nothing but snacks. They have these spicy curry Cheeto-style snacks that are so good! Wasabi or Garlic Shrimp Chips (regular shrimp chips are too fishy) are also great and we just discovered these pretty kick-ass, churro chips.
Gin & Tonic
If Anna Paulina Luna said the sky was blue, I’d walk outside to check. I’m reminded of Mary McCarthy on Lillian Hellman.
JPL
Remember when Ukraine refused to join NATO? Apparently the only one that remembers that was Luna. She said on CNN that we should not support Ukraine because they refused to join NATO. She was corrected by John Berman, but then said I have to disagree with you, because they did. This was a few days ago, so I’m just paraphrasing.
She imagines things that aren’t there.
eclare
I heard some MoC interviewed, Crenshaw maybe?, who said the Republicans would rather be in the minority. I don’t know if he was being sarcastic, but it makes sense. They could preen for the cameras, come up with more ways to deploy space lasers, and grift, without all of that pesky governating to do.
smith
OT, Letitia James has filed a request to Judge Engoron to reject the hinky $175 million bond in the fraud case and give TFG seven days to get a legitimate bond. The implied threat is that if he can’t get one after seven days she starts taking his property. Here’s hoping Engoron lays the law. This has gone on long enough.
Jay C
@Anoniminous:
Also. I think there are some Special elections coming up in the near future to fill existing vacancies (until the next General) – “safe” seats, though: 2 R and 1 D, IIRC – which should figure into the count.
WaterGirl
@Frank Wilhoit: But it’s the flavor together that makes it! Silly.
But thanks for the info!
Jinchi
@Barbara: That’s the smart play though.
I’m surprised. “moderate” Republicans haven’t threatened it sooner. The Chaos Caucus basically ran the place as long as they could make any demand under threat to blow up the place.
Their power relies on the assurance that the rest of the party will always fall in line. If other members threaten to give the House to the Democrats they lose all leverage.
The media fumbled in constantly asking Dems whether they’d save the Republican Speaker without ever considering that Republicans also have agency.
eclare
@smith:
Good for her. Judge Engeron does not seem like the type to like his time wasted by people who think that they can pull a fast one over him. TIFG FA’d, now time to FO.
Gravenstone
They could just vote with the Dems, keep their seats for now and lose re-election when the MAGAts come scalp collecting in the primaries. Same effect but with added paycheck goodness.
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples:
MoC?
brendancalling
@UncleEbeneezer: Have you had Lonely God potato twists, from Japan? https://want-want.co/products/potato-twist-veggie
they are delicious!
Also I’ll believe Luna[tic] when I see it. Although I DO want to see it!
Scout211
@smith: Good!
Here’s more:
WaterGirl
@Geminid:
I think Jeffries would rather be in charge than have Dems give the speakership to another Republican.
Assuming the Ukraine support passes, the Dems would be more likely to stay out of it and let the chips fall where they may. Unless there was a deal made in order to get the Ukraine support.
Doc Sardonic
@WaterGirl: member of congress
WaterGirl
@Eduardo: 1989? Remind me, please. I didn’t have a real sophisticated view of politics back then.
sdhays
@Jinchi: This was why I had started to get pessimistic; it should have happened long ago, as soon as they got a new Speaker. They should have rebelled at the Mayorkas “impeachment” farce. Demonstrate to the Freedumb Carcass that they ALSO don’t have a majority without the non-Freedumb Carcass.
WaterGirl
@Gin & Tonic: Gotta get those steps in, otherwise you could just look out the window. :-)
lowtechcyclist
@WaterGirl:
IIRC, she’s the one who dresses like a Hogwarts student.
M31
@UncleEbeneezer: oh yeah, the H-Mart snack aisle is something else
I’m going to stock up on cuttlefish chips and Pocky’s for when Trump’s properties start getting seized, can’t wait to see the actual value of them — how many do you think are so over-mortgaged they’re actually worthless? Katie?
Geminid
@eclare: Rep. Crenshaw is right. Republicans got only a few dollars out of this heist, and they would be better off leaving Hakeem Jeffries holding the bag.
Anonymous At Work
HA! I CALLED IT!
MAGA Mike learned that the next Speaker this term would be Hakeem Jeffries and then Mike lost all fear of MTG and his former “friends”.
WaterGirl
@smith: Yep. How many do-overs and extensions does Trump get? Too many for my taste. He had an amount and a deadline; they lowered the amount and extended the deadline.
He tried to put on over on them – and there should be consequences for that besides having another chance to get the smaller bond amount.
Albatrossity
If nobody else has nominated this, I nominate “Deconstructed Republicans? Call hazmat.” for a rotating tag!
smith
@WaterGirl: Amazing, isn’t it? He’s found liable for massive fraud, is required to post a massive bond, gets a break, then files a *fraudulent* bond.
smith
@Albatrossity: I guess deconstructed is what you get after they’ve been disarrayed.
M31
@smith: Like if you were busted for counterfeiting, then posted your bond in counterfeit currency? And got a DUI on the way to your DUI hearing?
TBone
@smith: 💙😊
Geminid
@WaterGirl: If he became Speaker, Hakeem Jeffries would have responsibility but with a tiny majority, at a time when his caucus has a lot of tension and division over the the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. And House Democrats have little prospect of advancing ground-breaking legislation anyway, in an election year and with 60 Senate votes required.
In the last Congress, Nancy Pelosi succeeded in pushing through vital legislation with a 5 vote majority, but that was tougher than it looked. So while I couldn’t say what Jeffries wants, I’d much rather he commenced his run as Speaker next January, with a more substantial majority.
Anoniminous
@Jay C:
Yes:
NY 26th April 30 (was a D seat)
CA 20th May 21 (was an R seat)
Ohio 6th June 11 (was an R seat)
Co 4th June 25 (was an R seat)
Even given the success Ds have had in special elections this Congress shouldn’t count on anything until it can be counted.
TBone
@smith: and the house of cards is on its way DOWN dropping like flies
@M31: I was present in court one day for an actual occurrence of that. They got him when he tried to drive home 😆
UncleEbeneezer
@brendancalling: No but I will try and look for them. We have a Japanese market nearby too. Bet they would have them there.
Sister Golden Bear
@UncleEbeneezer: Let’s fucking GO!
Geminid
@Geminid:
@WaterGirl: Besides, I want to see Jeff Flake become Speaker. Historians could call this “the Flake Congress.
Ed. Jeff Flake currently serves in the Biden administration, as Ambassador to Turkiye.
WaterGirl
@Gravenstone: No one wants to go out as a loser. Better to resign.
WaterGirl
@Doc Sardonic: Thank you!
WaterGirl
@M31: @smith:
Exactly!
WaterGirl
@Geminid: chuckle.
M31
@TBone:
classic
I mean, addiction sucks and that’s really sad, but glad they didn’t drive too far
John S.
Republicans in Washington state have also descended into total madness:
They are crawling through broken glass to support whack-a-loon Semi Bird over “moderate” Republican Dave Reichert.
Not that either really stands a snowball chance in hell here, but Reichert would have made it much closer than Bird will.
kalakal
@WaterGirl:
Luna is a Trumpy fruitcake, her district stops about 1/2 a mile from me.
She’s also a serious contender for George Santos Least Accurate Resume Award
Luna ancestry claims
jimmiraybob
@smith: “The implied threat is that if he can’t get one after seven days she starts taking his property.”
Take Trump Tower. Put Trump there under house arrest. Hire two old-school Catholic Nun lunchroom monitors armed with stainless steel rulers to keep him in line in the courtroom.
Problem managed.
Jackie
@smith:
I hope she starts with TIFG’s Tower – where he’s living during the Hush Money trial.
smith
@Jackie: He doesn’t actually own Trump Tower. It’s basically a condo. His company provides their services and owns the spaces allotted to those services, and of course he owns the miraculous expanding penthouse, but Tish will have to do without the tower itself.
Jackie
@smith: Impounding the apartment will suffice.😁
Miki
@Gin & Tonic: I read “The Group” in my early teens and it changed me forever.
Long but good article in the New Republic does a great job of talking about the McCarthy v Hellman battle , and compelled me to purchase McCarthy’s Memoir of a Catholic Girlhood and an E version of The Group.
Thanks for this reference.
A woman from anywhere (formerly Mohagan)
@WaterGirl: Member of Congress
Mousebumples
I’m apparently behind on the news since I thought his resignation was effective Wednesday. 🤷♀️
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: I thought it was the 19th all along. :: shrug :;
cain
@eclare:
They could have a great time if they got Hillary to win. So much fun so much grifting.
wjca
Plus, if their primaries are over (or they are unopposed and it’s too late to file), they give the MAGAts the choice of voting for them anyway in November, or handing the seat over to the Democrats. As a big FU, it’s hard to beat.
wjca
@Scout211:
If he doesn’t, does that also mean he can’t appeal? Ever.
WaterGirl
@wjca: That’s my understanding.
Timill
@wjca: Posting to invite correction: I believe he can appeal, but he can’t stop the seizure and sale of his properties.
wjca
@Timill:
IANAL, but my understanding (mostly from here) is that New York requires bond be posted before you can appeal. A bond of 110% of the judgement amount. And there’s a deadline to do so.
Lyrebird
I have never been a master strategist, but I get your drift. I think this future is more likely than the very reasonable, let’s-do-governance compromise @Geminid: described. Not enuf pro-governance Rs in the house right now.
@Anoniminous: thanks for doing the numbers!
Uncle Cosmo
@lollipopguild: Terminal High-speed Unscheduled Disassembly: THUD!
wjca
Note that the current fiscal year ends a month before Election Day.
IfWhen they prove unable to pass a budget and funding bills, the question becomes whether they can at least manage a Continuing Resolution. Or will they gild the Dobbs lily by shutting down the government right before the election.It’s a reflex to say, “Nobody’s stupid enough to do that!” Except they keep proving that there’s no lower limit to their ineptitude.
brantl
@cain: The Dems, of they think they won’t win the speakership, should vote for Hillary Clinton.
Jackie
@brantl: Hillary would holler HELL NO!!! before you could finish saying her name!
Uncle Cosmo
Methinks Eduardo was referring to the sudden unforeseeable collapse of Eastern Bloc governments that year.
I traveled in East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary that summer, and for all I could tell at the time, those regimes were stable enough to last another hundred years. In fact they barely survived another hundred days.
Another Scott
@Jackie: Plus, she might be busy and be unable to get away…
[ rofl ]
Cheers,
Scott.
Jackie
@Another Scott: 😂🤣
Snarki, child of Loki
Johnson’s turn in the barrel!
Betty
@Frank Wilhoit: If the marshmallow isn’t melted, forget about it!
Noskilz
It’s an amusing notion. I don’t have a hard time imagining someone starting the story to discourage a rehash of the speaker fiasco. And with as many GOP reps that have bailed outright or announced they are not seeking re-election, it doesn’t seem impossible that a couple of them would rather quit than put up with another speaker search.
If there is something to it, maybe that’s why Johnson has announced he won’t be seeking any changes to the rule to vacate?
Jackie
@Noskilz: Assumedly once the Ukraine package is passed, the Dems will have his back.
KrackenJack
@M31: Boy Bawang! Chippy! Ding Dong!
Geminid
@Lyrebird: The scenario I had in mind would require less than 10 Republicans. It could only happen if Johnson fell and the Republicans couldn’t elect a Speaker of their own, as almost happened last Fall. It could be essier for Republican defectors to vote for Charlie Dent or Jeff Flake than for Jeffries, and Jeffries, Clarke and Aguilar might go along for pragmatic reasons.