Rep. Byron Donalds goes viral with response when asked if he fears 'retribution' from pro-McCarthy Republicans



Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) made it clear on Wednesday that he does not fear reprisals for blocking Rep. Keven McCarthy's House speakership bid.

What is the background?

A faction of approximately 20 conservative Republicans are blocking McCarthy from becoming speaker. They say that electing him will empower the status quo that many Americans detest.

Initially, Donalds supported McCarthy. But on Tuesday — as the House voted on the third ballot of the day — Donalds broke from McCarthy. By Wednesday, the faction of anti-McCarthy Republicans were supporting Donalds for the speakership. On the fourth, fifth, and sixth ballots, Donalds earned 20 votes.

What is Donalds saying?

A reporter asked Donalds on Wednesday if he is worried about "retribution" from his own party for not backing McCarthy and becoming one of the main voices opposing the Republican leader.

"You've put yourself in a pretty public position opposing the person that could be the speaker. Are you worried about retribution?" the reporter asked.

Donalds' response — which has garnered more than 1.5 million views — made it clear his conscience is worry-free.

"Man, I'm 6'2", 275 [pounds] — I'm not worried about that," he said.

\u201cReporter: "You've put yourself in a pretty public position opposing the person that could be the speaker. Are you worried about retribution?"\n\nRep. Byron Donalds: "Man, I'm 6'2", 275, I'm not worried about that."\u201d
— Evan McMurry (@Evan McMurry) 1672869338

Donalds defended his opposition to McCarthy on Wednesday as a "good thing" for the Republican Party and America.

"These leadership challenges are a good thing for our party, and they're actually a good thing for America. The days of just power by acclamation, those days are over. It needs to be earned," he said on Fox News.

Anything else?

On Thursday, Donalds responded to Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who on Wednesday dismissed him as a mere "prop."

"[For what it's worth], @ByronDonalds is not a historic candidate for Speaker. He is a prop," Bush tweeted. "Despite being Black, he supports a policy agenda intent on upholding and perpetuating white supremacy."

Speaking on Fox Business, Donalds said he felt bad that Bush believed it was necessary to personally attack him.

"That sucks, to be honest with you, man," Donalds said. "I feel bad that she really put that out there because you know, if you see a black man rising, I mean, let the man rise, even if you don't agree with him.

"As a black man to a black woman, I would've never done that to her," he added. "It's a shame she did it to me."

'Soviet-style politics': Tucker Carlson punches back at Rep. Crenshaw for calling McCarthy opponents 'terrorists'



Fox News host Tucker Carlson sharply rebuked Rep. Dan Crenshaw on Wednesday after the Texas Republican rhetorically condemned some of his fellow Republicans as "terrorists."

What did Crenshaw say?

Crenshaw has described the faction of Republicans blocking McCarthy as "enemies," claiming they are choosing "notoriety over principle."

On Wednesday, Crenshaw elevated his rhetoric. He accused his fellow Republicans of engaging in "terrorism tactics" and declared that Republicans "cannot let the terrorists win."

Crenshaw's accusations came as Republican infighting has effectively rendered the House of Representatives useless. The legislative body cannot begin operations until a new speaker is chosen, and unless McCarthy bows out of the race or makes concessions, it may be many more days until the impasse is resolved.

What did Carlson say?

Responding to Crenshaw on his Fox News show, Carlson rebuked Crenshaw for constructing uncharitable dichotomies of McCarthy's opponents.

Referring to Crenshaw as a "neocon," Carlson said, "They're coming out and telling you what they told you about Iraq: Either you're with us or against us. You're on the side of light or darkness. You're good or evil."

Crenshaw, according to Carlson, is engaging in "Soviet-style politics" when he refers to the McCarthy opposition as "enemies."

"You may like Kevin McCarthy or not. Both are allowed," Carlson explained. "But no matter how you feel, you have to acknowledge, if you're being honest, that people who don't like Kevin McCarthy have a reason for that. They have real concerns, real issues.

"Instead he impugned their motive, their character, their intelligence, their moral standing," he continued. "They're 'narcissists.' In fact, and we're quoting, they're 'enemies' now.

"What you just saw as Dan Crenshaw spoke is the snarling face of the donor class revealed for all to see, finally. The deep loathing of disobedient voters that may be their most passionate secret emotion," he said. "But they're not bothering to hide that emotion anymore. Now you know how they really feel."

\u201cTucker on Dan Crenshaw's "terrorists" comment: "Over the past few years pretty much every part of the war on terror has been turned against the domestic political enemies of the neocons. What you just saw is the snarling face of the donor class."\u201d
— American Firebrand (@American Firebrand) 1672882174

Did Crenshaw respond?

The Texas congressman hit back at Carlson late Wednesday, telling him to "unclutch your pearls" and "grow thicker skin."

"Unclutch your pearls," Crenshaw wrote on Twitter. "It's a figure of speech. You can't insult, slander, and hold everyone hostage with no way out — and not expect me to punch back. Grow thicker skin."

Far-left Democrat offers shock praise for House Republican amid speaker chaos: 'I respect that a lot more'



Far-left Rep. Ted Lieu offered surprising praise for a House Republican on Wednesday.

Lieu, a Democrat from Hawaii, commended Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) for standing on his principles — talking the talk and walking the walk.

"I don't agree with [Roy] on most issues. But I believe that he believes in what he says," Lieu said. "I respect that a lot more than Republicans like [Kevin McCarthy] and [Elise Stefanik] who will say anything to gain power."

\u201cI don\u2019t agree with @chiproytx on most issues. But I believe that he believes in what he says. I respect that a lot more than Republicans like @GOPLeader and @EliseStefanik who will say anything to gain power. Will be interesting to see if folks like Chip Roy stand up or fold.\u201d
— Ted Lieu (@Ted Lieu) 1672838844

Roy is one of the leading figures campaigning against Rep. Kevin McCarthy's bid to become House speaker. As of Wednesday afternoon, McCarthy had lost five consecutive ballots for the speakership.

A faction of 20 Republican lawmakers is blocking McCarthy's bid. They believe that electing McCarthy to be House speaker will empower the political status quo.

"What I'm not going to do is blindly do what the swamp does. My constituents didn't send me here to do that," Roy said Tuesday on Fox News. "Is anybody listening to this actually happy with what Congress is doing? Is anybody out there? Are you? Anybody in America, do you think Congress is doing a good job? The answer is no."

"So, why would we embrace the status quo? Why would we keep doing the same thing over and over again? That is what is happening in the room," he said.

Anything else?

Republican infighting has temporarily rendered the House of Representatives powerless because, as the New York Times explained, "law and precedents state that the House must elect a speaker before lawmakers take any other action."

From the Times:

Without a speaker, the United States House of Representatives essentially becomes a useless entity. With no sworn members, there are no lawmakers to make an official response to an emergency or a crisis. With no rules adopted, the legislative process cannot move forward; no bills can be passed or resolutions adopted.

As of Wednesday afternoon, House members-elect were voting on a sixth ballot for speaker. By the time of publication, 11 Republicans had already voted against McCarthy, meaning the vote will go to a seventh ballot.