The White House mocked “dysfunction-engulfed House Republicans” Friday as they work to select a new speaker of the House, while praising President Biden for focusing on the economy and the American people.
The House of Representatives, in a historic first on Tuesday, voted to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as speaker of the House, after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a motion to vacate.
McCarthy’s removal came just days after a continuing resolution was agreed upon to continue funding the government, despite weeks of GOP infighting over Ukraine aid. The government was set to run out of funding on Sept. 30, but Congress managed to come to an agreement in the 11th hour.
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Now, the House Republican Conference is considering who should serve as the next House speaker, with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., the top options.
Over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, though, White House officials are mocking House Republicans for being unable to “get their act together.”
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In a memo Friday, White House Deputy Press Secretary and Senior Communications Adviser Andrew Bates touted President Biden’s work in extending his “record of historic job gains powering the United States economy.”
“But while the President leads by putting hardworking families first and growing our economy with solid and tested plans, House Republicans are threatening to raise costs and kill jobs as their conference devolves into chaotic bickering and they insist on radical MAGAnomics policies,” Bates wrote.
“Less than one week ago, the House GOP attempted to singlehandedly shut down the American government unless they could make severe cuts to small businesses, manufacturing, law enforcement, and border security, while raising health care and housing costs,” he wrote.
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Bates added: “When the government remained open, for the good of all Americans, they turned on each other and made the only chamber of Congress they control dysfunctional.”
“Now, nearly a week since they unseated the Speaker of the House, congressional Republicans still can’t get their act together,” he continued.
Bates warned that in the next government funding debate, Republicans could “again try to force painful cuts for the middle class onto the country, even though they support deficit-hiking tax welfare for rich special interests at the same time.”
“This is a choice that boils down to economic growth and progress versus divisive infighting and losing out to countries like China,” he wrote, while touting “Bidenomics” for “fulfilling the long-sought return of manufacturing to the United States — including in a multitude of red states — producing historic job growth, and lowering prescription drug and energy costs.”
“MAGAnomics represents dysfunction as House Republicans fall over each other and point fingers as they try to sell the middle class out to giant corporations and the wealthy,” he wrote.
The Bates memo comes after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday, following the vote to remove McCarthy, said President Biden hopes Republicans “quickly” elect a speaker.
“President Biden has demonstrated that he is always eager to work with both parties in Congress in good faith on behalf of the American people,” she said. “Because the urgent challenges facing our nation will not wait, he hopes the House will quickly elect a speaker.”
She added: “Once the House has met their responsibility to elect a speaker, he looks forward to working together with them and with the Senate to address the American peoples’ priorities.”
On Tuesday, House Republicans are set to meet for a candidate forum, to consider their options. They are expected to vote on a House speaker on Wednesday.