Thursday, March 28, 2024

Congressman to Step Down From Influential Committee Position After Heated Speaker Battle

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After high tempers nearly turned to physical blows on the floor of over the weekend Congressman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) says he plans to give up his seat on the powerful .

During the tumultuous election for , which took 15 ballots and came to a dramatic conclusion after midnight on Saturday morning, Rogers approached Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and had to be physically held back by another member. Gaetz refused to vote for now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on the 14th ballot that the GOP leader was expected to finally win.

The two have publicly made amends, with Gaetz forgiving Rogers and Rogers expressing regret that he lost his temper.

and I have a six-year productive, working relationship. We're going to work together wonderfully going forward. I don't think there should be any punishment or reprisal because he had an animated moment. He has my forgiveness.” Gaetz wrote on Twitter.

The Alabama Congressman replied to Gaetz's tweet, “Rep. Gaetz and I 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.”

The Steering Committee's purpose is to assign fellow Republicans to other House committees.

He told Politico that his decision is not yet final but expects to step down later this week.

According to The Washington Examiner, Rep. Rogers is choosing to step down from the position on his own accord and isn't facing outside pressure to do so.

During McCarthy's negotiations with the Republican detractors he eventually offered Rep. Byron Donalds a position on the Steering committee in exchange for his support for House Speaker.

“I'm frankly just happy that it's all over with, and that we got something transformational and sound for the American people,” Donalds told Maria Bartiromo.

READ NEXT: McCarthy's Speakership Now Being Tested by Moderates >>

Nancy Jackson
Nancy Jackson
Nancy grew up in the South where her passion for politics first began. After getting her BA in journalism from Ole Miss she became an arts and culture writer for Athens Magazine where she enjoyed reporting on the eclectic music and art scene in Athens, GA. However, her desire to report on issues and policies impacting everyday Americans won out and she packed her bags for Washington, DC. Now, she splits her time between the Nation’s Capital and Philadelphia where she covers the fast-paced environment of politics, business, and news. In her off time, you can find Nancy exploring museums or enjoying brunch with friends.

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