Republican who lunged at Matt Gaetz does a u-turn and insists he will stay on top committee – after McCarthy rebel Byron Donalds revealed he secured a place on panel in a deal to flip his vote
- Rep. Mike Rogers is reportedly stepping off the Republican Steering Committee
- He told Politico it was his choice and he could change his mind to come back
- Rogers was among McCarthy’s staunch allies through the long Speaker vote
- It comes after Rep. Byron Donalds, one of the 20 initial holdouts, told Fox News on Sunday that he got a position on the steering committee for his support
Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers said Monday that he is not leaving the House Republican Steering Committee after it was reported hours earlier that he was stepping down.
The senior Republican lawmaker who lunged toward fellow GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz during a tense moment on the floor of the House of Representatives on Friday night said he was stepping down from the top committee post, Politico reported on Monday morning.
Rogers told the outlet he was stepping down from panel, which is responsible for assigning committee posts to other GOP lawmakers.
The expected chair of the House Armed Services Committee reportedly said the decision was his own and that he was free to change his mind.
And it seems he did just a few hours later. Rogers told Politico’s Olivia Beavers that an ‘overwhelming number of members’ pleaded with him to remain on the powerful committee.
A day earlier, on Fox News‘ Sunday Morning Futures, Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds revealed that he would be ascending to the Steering Committee in exchange for dropping opposition to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week.
Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers had a heated confrontation with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz on Friday night after the fourteenth round Speaker vote
GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, who like Gaetz had opposed McCarthy’s Speakership for many rounds, revealed on Sunday that he got a coveted committee position in exchange for flipping
Four days of gridlock that paralyzed the 118th Congress ended just before 2am on Saturday when the new House was sworn in.
McCarthy managed to convince 20 Republican holdouts to support him or at least vote ‘present’ to clinch the Speaker’s gavel after 15 rounds of voting. To do so, he’s made concessions that are expected to give the party’s hardline right faction expanded influence over the rest of the conference.
Donalds had initially voted for McCarthy in the first round before switching his vote to others including himself – and finally rejoining the 200-plus lawmakers in McCarthy’s camp.
He revealed on Sunday that he’d been offered a Steering Committee post in exchange for that support.
‘Part of that is going to be to make sure the entire conference, the ideological spectrum if you will, is represented through all committees,’ Donalds said.
It’s not immediately clear if Donalds’ joining the committee is in coordination with Rogers’ departure. DailyMail.com reached out to Rogers’ office for comment.
Rogers apologized to Gaetz after he needed to be restrained by fellow GOP Rep. Richard Hudson
Tennessee Rep. Mark Green is filling in for Rogers in steering committee votes on Monday morning save for the one where he himself is up for a chairmanship, Politico reports.
Rogers expressed ‘regret’ for his heated confrontation with Matt Gaetz on the House floor on Friday night. The Florida firebrand’s vote of ‘present’ instead of for McCarthy in the fourteenth round narrowly tanked the now-Speaker’s bid yet again, sending tempers flaring.
McCarthy and Gaetz could be seen speaking intensely on the House floor after the fourteenth-round tally. The chamber was silent. Lawmakers on the Democratic side stood and craned their necks for a better look at the GOP crisis talks.
After McCarthy turned to walk away from Gaetz, Rogers barreled toward him before being restrained by fellow Republican Rep. Richard Hudson of South Carolina.
A shout of ‘Be civil!’ came from the Democratic side of the chamber. Rogers stormed into the Republican cloak room.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy himself denied having a ‘heated exchange’ with Gaetz during an impromptu press conference early on Saturday morning
Rogers told the New York Post on Saturday, ‘I just walked over to the end the aisle a few feet away from where he was seated and said, “Matt I am not going to forget this.'”
The Alabama Republican tweeted on Sunday that he and Gaetz ‘have a long and productive working relationship, that I am sure will continue.’
‘I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt’s kind understanding,’ Rogers finished.
It came after Gaetz told Fox News on Saturday night that Rogers has his ‘forgiveness’ and praised him as a ‘terrific chairman’ for the Armed Services Committee.
‘We’re going to work together wonderfully going forward. I don’t think there should be any punishment or reprisal just because he had an animated moment,’ Gaetz said.
McCarthy himself denied having a ‘heated exchange’ with Gaetz during an impromptu press conference after his victory.
‘Through all of this, people’s emotions go up and down. And at the end of the night, Matt got everybody there,’ the new House Speaker said.
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