Kevin McCarthy’s election as Speaker of the House was a dramatic affair that unfolded over the course of 15 rounds of voting. This protracted process spoke to the divisions within the Republican Party and the skepticism some members held towards McCarthy’s ability to deliver on his promises.
Critics within the party pointed to past instances where McCarthy had fallen short of expectations, and this made them hesitant to rally behind him. They were concerned about his ability to unite the party and effectively lead the House of Representatives.
This skepticism persisted despite McCarthy’s assurances that he had learned from past mistakes and was committed to a more inclusive and productive approach.
One particularly contentious issue that had fueled this skepticism was the handling of the January 6th Capitol attack footage. Initially, McCarthy, along with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, had argued that they could not release all the footage to the public because doing so might put innocent individuals at risk.
They maintained that disclosing sensitive information from that fateful day could potentially compromise the safety of those who were not directly involved in the violence.
Matt Gaetz posted the following in response to this new McCarthy news.
Do you agree with Rep. Matt Gaetz?
Matt…TELL SPEAKER TO RELEASE ALL TAPES TO THE PUBLIC
He is still lying, he will never actually do it.