Below is my column in The Messenger on how the Speaker’s Chair has become the latest manifestation of our politics of chaos. This includes the truly bizarre suggestion of the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin that the GOP “invited” the terror attack in Israel by allowing eight members and the entire Democratic block to vacate the chair. While Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.) received the most votes in the GOP caucus yesterday, the party remains divided between him and Jim Jordan (R., Oh.).
“Republicans’ weakness invites terror.” Those words on X (formerly known as Twitter) from the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin perfectly captured our new politics of chaos. Rubin and others either accused Republicans of benefitting or actually inviting terrorism with the removal of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
In reality, the vacant speaker’s chair will not materially affect our response to the massacre in Israel. Moreover, you have to take leave of any sense of reality to believe that Hamas was watching the U.S. House of Representatives to coordinate this attack. The massacre happened to occur on the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago.
And, no, the Yom Kippur War was not launched due to any looming motion to vacate the chair of then-House Speaker Carl Albert (D-Okla.). Indeed, when that war started, Vice President Spiro Agnew was preparing to resign over a tax-evasion scandal. No one suggested that his pending vacancy invited the 1973 attack on Israel by Egypt and Syria.
Those also were bitter political times, but there still remained a few red lines in politics. There were some things that the leadership of both major political parties would not do.
After House Democrats voted unanimously, along with eight Republicans, to vacate the speaker’s chair, many politicians and some pundits are now deriding the GOP for the chaos of not having a House speaker as a war rages in the Middle East.
The decision of House Democrats to support the effort of members like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to decapitate the House leadership was a defining moment for the House as an institution.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) expressed shock at the vote that she helped to engineer, intoning that “this is a solemn day in the U.S. House of Representatives … Right-wing MAGA extremism has enveloped the Republican Party and taken over the business of the People’s House.”
The moment represented a final collapse of any institutional loyalty in the House.
Some of us have a deep love for the House as an institution. I began my association with the House as a teenaged leadership page in the 1970s and continued through to my legal representation of the House in federal court. I have testified more than 100 times over the last four decades on a wide array of constitutional and statutory issues. I also have represented both Democratic and Republican members in court.
Over that long period, I never lost faith that the House would rise to the occasion when members had to act in the interests of not just the institution but the nation.
As a Madisonian scholar, my faith rested in the strong institutional interests left to members by the Constitution. While shifting majorities and political issues have often left bitter divisions, Madison gave all members incentives to jealously protect their institution in carrying out constitutional functions.
Despite our periods of political rage and division, no Congress has ever vacated the chair. That says a great deal about our politics today. There was a time when the Democrats would never have vacated the chair just to disrupt the institution. Doing so is the politics of chaos to fit an age of rage. It is the same rage that leads someone like Rubin to declare that “we have to collectively, in essence, burn down the Republican Party. We have to level them because if there are survivors, if there are people who weather this storm, they will do it again.”
Consider the choice that the Democrats made with this vote. Former Speaker McCarthy insisted that his predecessor, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), assured him that she would never support such a vote if a member like Gaetz sought to remove him. This past week, she denied making such a pledge. However, putting aside who is lying, it was a pledge that she should have made and kept.
The Democrats elected to support a motion from a member — Gaetz — who they have denounced and despised for years. They did so despite the fact that McCarthy was facing opposition for having worked and compromised with Democrats to keep the government open. More importantly, they did so in the full knowledge that they were certain to get a more strident House Speaker when Republicans select a replacement. The chances of getting bipartisan legislation passed would be diminished, not enhanced, by the move. Yet, not one Democrat broke ranks and voted to prevent such chaos.
This week, McCarthy seemed to dangle the chance that he could be reinstated as the GOP divides between Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). A number of House Republicans are citing the war in Israel as calling for immediate action to fill the seat.
The fact, however, is that the Biden administration has all of the money and the ability needed to respond to this crisis. Congress has allowed billions in dollars to float around the Defense Department and other agencies. When the Obama administration effectively launched a war against Libya, it funded the entire campaign out of loose cash.
This crisis is not a vacuum of power — it is a vacuum of principle. McCarthy was a thrill-kill for his opponents. While expressing alarm at how the House could not operate with the speakership vacated, not a single Democrat crossed the aisle to support the institution by opposing the motion to vacate. Indeed, a small number of Democrats could have merely voted “present” to avoid the decapitation of the House leadership. Instead, they apparently wanted to disrupt the House.
So, Democrats supplied all but eight votes to vacate the chair and then immediately ran to cameras to express alarm that the House was now unable to function.
In her tweet, Rubin showed how chaos is worth the effort by accusing Republicans of fostering the terrorism that massacred more than 1,000 Israelis: “How about this: With US House in chaos and US military promotions on hold, Hamas struck. Republicans’ weakness invites terror.” It takes pure rage to seize upon an unspeakable crime against humanity and use it as a cudgel against one’s political opponents.
Even without the war, vacating the speaker’s chair is not just dysfunctional but dangerous for a democracy. It shows that there is no longer a loyal opposition that would support either a president or a House speaker to preserve the functioning of government. The vote did not invite terrorism — it invited chaos. And it has now succeeded to a degree that should give pause to every House Democrat — and to the eight Republicans who joined them — when they next consider yielding to the temptations of the moment as members of Congress.
Jonathan Turley, an attorney, constitutional law scholar and legal analyst, is the Shapiro Chair for Public Interest Law at The George Washington University Law School.
Jennifer Rubin must be a Harvard Graduate. She is well into the thought cycle of IDIOCRACY.
Moreover, you have to take leave of any sense of reality to believe that Hamas was watching the U.S. House of Representatives to coordinate this attack.
The Democratic party has embraced the collective insanity gripping many in their cult. They feed into it by their campaign of mis, dis and mal information. This is their mass formation movement (Desmet) and as long as they can keep their cult hypnotized and demoralized, they will have an army of useful idiots rabidly supporting anything they say and do.
OLLY,
Well said and spot on.
The gaslighting and projection from OLLY today is way way over the top. But according to Turley, lying and disinformation is free speech, and how dare anyone point out that it’s is a lie or wrong, because they are taking away your right to lie.
But according to Turley, lying and disinformation is free speech, and how dare anyone point out that it’s is a lie or wrong, because they are taking away your right to lie.
Yes Pawn, JT has your back. But given your history on this blog, you’ll never rise to the level of Useful.
That’s not how it works. We point out the lies then the likes of you scream ban them get them fired shut them up shadowban them shut down their bank accounts harass them at home dox them and never let them on campus ever or in the restaurants or anywhere you see them.
You still lied, and someone still pointed it out. Then you lied again, and some others pointed it out because more knew by then. You told the same lie and at that point almost everyone knew you were lying.
See that’s how it works.
Then you changed the subject and claimed you never said it and started in a on new lie, and the cycle repeats.
That’s the royal you, not the real you.
As compared to the party formerly known as republican? They do nothing unless their pussy grabbing rapist leader says it is ok. Really? Who is following their leaders?
First, the Gaza attacks have NOTHING to do with the United States (other than that the US bankrolls the Israeli military) but is more a case of the buzzards once again coming home to roost. There has been trouble in the former Palestine dating back to the nineteenth century, and it all came to a head in 1948 when European Jewish immigrants declared Israel to be an independent nation and immediately provoked civil war. Those wars continued unabated until after the 1973 Yom Kipper War when Iran, yes, IRAN, brokered peace talks between Israel and Egypt, and consequently led to the uprise of Muslim militancy. (Incidentally, I witnessed the Shah’s meeting Sadat when he got off of his 707 at Mehrabad Airport right off our C-5s left wing.) As a result, the Shah was deposed, and Sadat was assassinated.
As for Congress and the situation in Israel, there’s not a thing they can do about it. This is Israel’s problem and it’s not going to go away. All Congress can do is throw more money at Israel, who are already the largest recipients of US foreign aid even though they’re a country not much bigger than the state of Delaware.
Jennifer Rubin is a flake.
I see this completely differently. Perhaps when you were a young person serving as a page greed didn’t rule the day. From my perspective, when representation of big donors took precedence over serving constituents, this institutional loyalty took on a very dark meaning. Matt Gaetz may be loathed by House members, but I think the American people see him as someone who’s finally ripped open the curtains so we finally see the true nature of that vaunted “institutional loyalty.”
So I ask you, Professor, if you long for institutional loyalty- then institutional loyalty to what? The highest bidders or the American people? Party or the Constitution?
Why is it so radical to demand regular order?
Trump’s Miami resort will host an event featuring Eric Trump and Ian Smith, an antisemitic fitness influencer who promotes neo-Nazi, pro-Hitler, and Holocaust denial content. This is not the first time that Trump has welcomed a neo-Nazi.
Trump has spent the week criticizing Israel because he’s vindictively unhappy that Israeli leaders have praised Biden.
Anonymous – Since MAL is a resort and hotel, it should welcome anyone who wants to come there. As for the frequent smear “neo-Nazi”, you are in good company. Getting rid of “neo-Nazis” was one of Putin’s excuses for invading Ukraine:
“The purpose of this operation is to protect people who for eight years now have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime,” he said, according to an English translation from the Russian Mission in Geneva. “To this end, we will seek to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, as well as bring to trial those who perpetrated numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including against citizens of the Russian Federation.”
“Putin’s claim of fighting against Ukraine ‘neo-Nazis’ distorts history, scholars say” https://www.npr.org/2022/03/01/1083677765/putin-denazify-ukraine-russia-history
(March 1, 20223)
MAL is not in Miami, so it wasn’t a comment about MAL, and no, Trump properties should NOT welcome neo-Nazis to speak with Eric Trump. That someone has a legal right to voice their views does not mean that anyone should choose to share the stage with them.
“Getting rid of “neo-Nazis” was one of Putin’s excuses for invading Ukraine”
Duh. Putin is a lying, evil dictator. Why are you carrying his water?
This dumb dumb doesn’t know who bandera is
It is obviously a reflection on the quality of the thinking that freely applies the label “neo Nazi”. Putin is not unique in that regard.
That’s the guy who kept his gym open in NYC and told the demoncrats to stick it, and he was right !
Great guy, head screwed on straight and doesn’t forget.
https://twitter.com/iansmithfitness/status/1712217675777073281
Actually, Donald Trump is to blame: both for the Hamas war crimes in the Middle East as well as for the failure to elect a Senate majority leader. Everyone knows that Trump brought stability and peace worldwide. And everyone knows that selecting a leader for the Senate would have been a nonissue had Trump been President. But Trump failed. When Trump was faced with the Democrats’ “most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics,” he chose to passively let the Democrats’ fraud organization succeed in rigging the election, so America was stuck with Biden. Shame on him.
Simon Rosenberg: “Reminder that Republicans, at this moment, are holding up the appointment of 300 senior Pentagon officials and the next Ambassador to Israel. We also lack a Republican Speaker of the House to pass additional support for Israel. All of these things might be useful right now.”
Politico: “Pentagon officials who briefed senators Tuesday on the Israel crisis emphasized nine senior military positions in the command responsible for the Middle East that are facing disruptions due to Tuberville’s holds.”
our command structure is a bloated monster, fire them
Those are not appointments dummy, they want higher rank and pay.
Note the word you used, “senior”. Try to use that tiny orb atop that spindly neck once in a while huh ?
Schumer has been reluctant to bring single appointments to the floor for a vote as it defies Senate precedent of approving the president’s nominees in batches to avoid lengthy debate on each confirmation, which the Senate approves by unanimous consent.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/09/20/senate-to-vote-on-key-military-confirmations-amid-tuberville-blockade/?sh=2eee15544f01
Oh look, Tuberville’s actions only stopped Schumer from getting the confirmations done in batches. Schumer all along had the power to bring confirmations to the floor.
The military is holding up all the appointments. All the military has to do is follow the law. The Hyde Amendment, that prohibits federal $ for abortions.
But the now politicized military, Thanks to Biden and Obama, want the politics of abortion over military readiness.
Sure iowan, follow the law. This administration has a habit of not following the law until the courts get involved. In the meantime, there’s nothing stopping Schumer from bringing nominations to the Senate floor, if he wasn’t putting abortion politics ahead of military readiness.
Either you don’t understand the difference between an abortion and travel (in which case you’re stupid) or you understand but lie about it (in which case you’re a liar).
pedantic blather
get in the arena or shut up
Hey idiot, unless you’ve submitted travel claims in the military, then you’re unqualified to spout your garbage. The current DoD policy violates the Hyde Amendment as it is reimbursing servicemembers for the cost of travel to get an abortion. That means taxpayers are funding abortions.
Prove me wrong you effing liar.
Maybe you should bother to read the Hyde Amendment: https://www.nrlc.org/federal/ahc/hydeamendmenttext/
Only an idiot or a liar claims that travel IS an abortion or meets “health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion.”
Next time, meet your own burden or proof and prove yourself right.
Sec. 506. (a) None of the funds appropriated in this Act, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are appropriated in this Act, shall be expended for any abortion.
The DoD is in violation of the Hyde act if any taxpayer funds are expended for any abortion. A travel claim that is submitted for the direct purpose of reimbursing costs for an abortion is a claim, that if reimbursed using taxpayer funds, is in violation of the Hyde amendment.
It isn’t, no matter how many times you click your heels.
OLLY, I have noticed a running theme in the comments by the trolls. They all use the same english utilization, the same sentence structure, simplistic, sloppy grammar/spelling, the same shallow, lack of intellectual depth or conviction in all of their posts, as if they were simply involved in a volume strategy, i.e. flooding the comments with the same sloppy crap. I also get the impression that, given their template of Saul Alinsky Rules of Radicals verbiage, it’s mostly written by the same person we once called Peter Shill/Paintchips 4 year ago. Gigi, Dennis, Bob, Concerned Citizen, Wally, all have the same shilling “voice”, the same histrionics, the same moronic comments. None of them come to the table with any cerebral, academic, scholastic nor philosophical argumentations like Professor Turley does or many of the writers on here. I tend to be a very analytical diagnostician. I am known in clinic to make a connection between varied stories, look for running themes, and because of my background in languages, I see a paid troll who is able to turn their histrionics on (e.g. Peter/Gigi) or off (Concerned Citizen, sealioning anonymous). My point is this: it less than 3 people (Fish Wings being unique in his writing voice), and perhaps another, but all in all, Gigi, Dennis, Bob, Concerned Citizen, Wally, et al are all and same paid DNC troll aligned with David Brocks troll farms. It’s all very amusing and all psyops. Just an FYI for whatever it’s worth
Excellent observations and conclusion, Estovir. Engaging them is pointless.
I agree Estovir. We could set aside one day a week and write comments on the blog like the Turley Trolls do. We could call it Fantasy Friday.
Professor Turley, there is so much truth telling in your blog today that I felt moved to say so. My gratitude means little to most, but I hope you will accept my thanks as genuine and heartfelt, humble though it may be. God bless you. A very good commentary today.
The trolls that prowl this blog are a sad comment on how asinine human beings can get. I wish I could help them, but I know my own limits.
“it was a pledge that she should have made and kept.”
No, it was not. The minority party has NEVER voted in favor of the majority’s Speaker, and McCarthy lied to/about Democrats, denigrated them, and undermined their goals. He doesn’t get to do that and then expect their support.
“they were certain to get a more strident House Speaker when Republicans select a replacement”
You cannot know this, especially when you then mention reelecting McCarthy.
The problem with your columns, even more than your bias, is that you aren’t truthful.
Jonathan: Blaming the Dems for the demise of Kevin McCarthy is like blaming the weatherman for bad weather. It was Matt Gaetz and his coterie of MAGA extremists that engineered McCarthy’s ouster. Can’t blame the Dems for that.
Did you really expect the Dems to save McCarthy? They did support McCarthy on the budget compromise but at every other point McCarthy refused to repay the favor. He refused to consider the Dems legislative proposals and then approved the impeachment inquiry of Pres. Biden–despite the fact he knew there no evidence to pursue the inquiry. He even refused to hold a formal vote of the full House to approve the inquiry. Probably because he knew he would lose the vote. At every turn McCarthy refused to compromise with the Dems on any important issue. That sealed his fate because McCarthy refused a bipartisan approach to governing.
And who has the GOP House offered to replace the former Speaker? They chose Steve Scalise, a racist and former member of the KKK. Instead of reaching across the aisle to find a compromise candidate the GOP has forged ahead with their right-wing agenda and continued the chaos. Do you call that, to use your words, an “act in the interests of not just the institution but the nation”? Can’t blame any of that on the Dems.
“Did you really expect the Dems to save McCarthy?” Oddly enough, McCarthy did expect that b/c Pelosi promised that they would not support a motion to vacate the chair. Pelosi now denies that, but her denial is equivocal: “Not really. I had no promise to him,” the former Speaker said. “Our Democratic members made their decision.” [The Hill, above noted by JT] “Not really” is not what one would expect in response to McCarthy’s statement. And throwing the attention to the caucus can be seen as a way of diverting attention from herself, who supposedly made the commitment.
Imagine what life would be like if you were reduced to reading the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin for opinion or insight.
Send Rubin to Gaza.
The National Socialist Democrats, the party of WOKE and the most corrupt president in US History Biden is the problem.
The word woke is becoming more beautiful by the day. Why? because the absolute worst people on earth use it as a slur against everything they don’t understand.
Wow JT, its all the democrats fault the house is in disarray.
“The decision of House Democrats to support the effort of members like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to decapitate the House leadership was a defining moment for the House as an institution.”
McCarthy offered nothing to the Democrats in the less than year he was in office. Why would they support him? Oh that’s right, for House decorum. Sheeeesh. You say you don;t know who was telling the truth, Pelosi or McCarthy, then you insinuate it was Pelosi. Why? Oh that’s right shes a democrat.
This chaos in the house is the fault of the party formerly known as Republican, now known as the trump grab em by the pussy party.
At this point, Democrats are not feeling “rage” but rather “desperation”. With polls showing Trump pulling away from Biden, and independent challenges by West, Williamson and Kennedy looming, they are grasping at straws to stay in power.
If you think grab em by the pussy rapist trump can win a national election, you are truly a cult follower of trump. Sad, so sad.
He already won, twice actually, going for #3. Are you still crying or saving it up for 2024 ? Better choke em back while stealing the votes in any case
I take it you can’t wait for the Putin-Trump ticket in 24.
Things are so good for all Americans that you actually think the country wants to vote for MORE of this Biden/Harris crap??? You really are brainwashed. Sad.
What did Trump do that is so frickin’ evil that the full force of EVERY institution in the country is trying to take away his freedom, destroy his company, destroy every member of his family, destroy his friends and allies, and even target citizens who voted for him and support him, calling them domestic terrorists, refusing them bank accounts!! and literally targeting them for utter destruction?!
Biden’s corrupt, lawless government is targeting actual *voters* as evil too, because they support MAGA and Trump? Because they attended a rally?
Do you even question why, you propagandized useful idiot?
Was even ONE of the J6 “trespassers” given the benefit of being a “lawabiding citizen” but for getting mixed up into one unfortunate rally turned riot?
No. They are being targeted by FBI, prosecuted to the FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW by deranged, corrupt prosecutors, and being tossed in the DC gulag to rot for YEARS awaiting trial, not having been convicted of any crime.
If you went into the Capitol building and pulled the fire alarm (by accident or on purpose) to interupt and disrupt an official proceeding of Congress, do you think you would be strung up right now, facing prosecution for a crime and sitting in prison? You bet you would.
But Jamaal Bowman is free. Under investigation. Which we all know will result in…..absolutely nothing happening TO him.
We have no “justice system” in this country right now in case you had not noticed.
Why hasn’t Jamaal Bowman been arrested and charged with a criminal misdemeanor as any other citizen would be — and for sure any Republican would be?
Because there is no Rule of Law in America right now.
There is no system of “justice” in America right now.
There is only a lawless, Uniparty/Democrat-rule. They do whatever they want.
Because corrupt Intel, corrupt DOJ, corrupt prosecutors, corrupt judges, corrupt juries.
The Left have DESTROYED the Rule of Law and every institution in this country.
Do not vote ANY Democrats into power in ANY position at ANY level of government if you want to attempt to save what is left of this country.
This is now about Right vs. Wrong.
People in America are not stupid.
WHAT polls? According to the NY Post’s most-recent poll, Biden beats Trump. And, this was before Trump shot off his mouth to praise Hezbolla as “very smart”. Time will tell.
@ScottAdamsSays
The world is in Phase 1 of waking up.
In Phase 1, we realize our adversaries are severely brainwashed, not merely stupid, evil, or under-informed.
This is humanity’s most dangerous phase because our go-to tool for fixing brainwashed people is killing them or putting them in prison.
In Phase 2 — if we survive to see it — we start to realize everyone is living in some sort of reality bubble created by their choice of media, and in some cases their education.
On Monday 10/16 at 6:30 PM ET I will be on Spaces, deprogramming a Democrat who hates MAGA for reasons he believes to be valid. If that deprogramming works out, I’ll do a Republican next.
Note: I’m a trained hypnotist, but no induction will be involved. I will use the tools of persuasion, especially reframing.
8:32 AM · Oct 13, 2023
This woman/man in fact all the msm that’s been propping up the Democrats better start reporting on the damage done on the border. It seems no one knows where any of the illegals are except the ones sleeping on our streets, public buildings and still flooding the border. How long before a group or lone wolf attacks the sheep?
Amazing the world was relatively at peace but they hate Trump or is it they hated world peace because of Trump.
Well stated Professor
There should be two candidates put up for Speaker and let the Republicans and Democrats either vote for Scalise or vote for Jeffries. Or have multiple rounds of voting so in the end you have two.
Democrats can vote for Jefferies.
So can Republicans.
Or there should be 20
You seem to beleive there is only so me objectively best way to do anything and that you know it
That is patently false
You are also hypocritical
Pelosi governed with much narrower margins
Should MacArthy or scalier had equal right to a vote when Pelosi was whipping her troups ?
As is typical – which is what turley is pointing out
Democrats have no standards except double standards
Republicans have more difficulty holding a majority because they actually reflect disparate values
And are less rigidly controlled by their party
That is good and I am fine with it
“Republicans have more difficulty holding a majority because they actually reflect disparate values
And are less rigidly controlled by their party”
Republicans are controlled by a man, one of the most immoral ones we’ve seen in some time.
Clear, concise and true. A must read column.
Having been a Washington Post subscriber for most of my life, I can attest that Jennifer Rubin has evolved into something deranged and diabolical. I think she just wants to distinguish herself from the run-of-the-mill far left radicals who populate the Post’s pages.
Professor, this is one of your best columns. Keep it up.
As far as reading and subscribing and paying for the Washington Post, here’s Solzhenitsyn’s view”
in his “Live Not By Lies” he wrote the following as a way even the most timid can take this least demanding step toward spiritual independence……
“From this day onward you will at once walk out from a session, meeting, lecture, play, or film as soon as he hears the speaker utter a lie, ideological drivel, or shameless propaganda.”
For the full text see
https://www.solzhenitsyncenter.org/live-not-by-lies
Yes, that is an act of principle that can provide “spiritual independence”, I agree. However, if you live in Washington, or in most of America today, it would provide self-imposed solitary confinement. I prefer to see what the enemy is saying and thinking.
Solzhenitsyn further wrote:
“Will not subscribe to, nor buy in retail, a newspaper or journal that distorts or hides the underlying facts.”