Things got heated after Rep. Matt Gaetz refused to vote for Kevin McCarthy and instead voted present in the 14 round of voting for the House Speaker.
After Gaetz’s voted present it caused McCarthy to lose the House Speaker vote 14 straight times.
After the voting session concluded, McCarthy approached Gaetz and started to raise his voice at him.
This resulted in Gaetz to respond back but it was unclear what he said.
As McCarthy eventually walked away from Gaetz, another lawmaker Rep. Elect Mike Rogers from Alabama then lunged at Gaetz but was quickly pulled back by an0ther lawmaker.
Here are some videos and photos of the chaotic moment:
Here is video of @RepHudsonNC physically holding back Rep.-Elect Mike Rogers of Alabama on the House floor. @SpecNews1CLT #ncpol pic.twitter.com/9PRvlVJ9eE
— Reuben Jones (@ReubenJones1) January 7, 2023
Guys used to beat each other with canes on the House floor. A lunging is nothing. pic.twitter.com/sSo68z3rOv
— Eric Matheny 🎙️ (@ericmmatheny) January 7, 2023
Rep. Hudson, R-N.C., left, pulls Rep. Rogers, R-Ala., as he confronts Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., during the 14th round of voting for speaker as the House meets for the fourth day to try and elect a speaker in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. (@AP Photo/@andyharnik) pic.twitter.com/ok3K8ERtfU
— Andrew Harnik (@andyharnik) January 7, 2023
The Washington Examiner shared these details:
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) nearly came to blows with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as frustrations exploded on Friday night in the House of Representatives, with the 14th ballot for speaker leaving Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) one vote short.
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) was seen physically restraining Rogers from barreling toward Gaetz after a heated exchange in which Gaetz seemingly refused to switch his vote from “present” to one in favor of McCarthy to put an end to four days of stalemate.
McCarthy needed 217 votes to become speaker and was at 216, with Gaetz and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) voting present and four Republicans voting against. He was seen walking toward Gaetz before the vote was gaveled in, appearing to ask for his help, but Gaetz did not change his vote.
What the pic.twitter.com/nyywaMTNK1
— Addison Smith (@AddisonSmithTV) January 7, 2023
McCarthy and Rogers look like playground bullies.
Just watch closely how the swamp operates if you defy them:
So if members who refused to Coronate Kevin McCarthy are “terrorists”, what do you call McCarthy and Mike Rogers going after @MattGaetz and trying to intimidate him for voting present?
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) January 7, 2023
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