mccarthy

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson attends a news conference at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month.

Politics & Government

Mike Johnson and the troubled history of recent Republican speakers

4:31pm April 27, 2024

by Ron Elving

Johnson is the sixth Republican elevated to the speakership since 1994. The five who preceded him all saw their time in the office end in relative degrees of defeat or frustration.

Kevin McCarthy of Calif., then the newly elected speaker of the House, picks up the gavel as he begins to speak in the House chamber on Jan. 7.

Politics & Government

McCarthy's fall marks new low in the speakership's declining status

5:00am October 07, 2023

by Ron Elving

The status of the speakership has been declining for years. McCarthy's ouster is an extreme example in a sequence of events that have made the speaker more vulnerable — and thus weaker.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks to reporters following a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Politics & Government

McCarthy revives immigration battles in bid to shift shutdown blame from GOP feuds

10:22pm September 27, 2023

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy still faces a bloc of conservatives who oppose any short-term funding bill to avoid a shutdown. He's trying to muscle through a partisan stopgap bill with border security.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks with Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on the House floor about the 14th round of voting for speaker on Jan. 6, 2023, at the U.S. Capitol.

Politics & Government

House GOP rebels recall a distant era when dissidents rose up against 'Czar Cannon'

8:06am September 23, 2023

by Ron Elving

Cannon resisted government regulation of business, supported protective tariffs and frowned upon change in general. It was said that had he been present at the Creation he would have voted against it.

The National Museum of American History has some impeachment buttons from the Nixon years in their collection.

Politics & Government

Past impeachments, products of their times, often produced unintended consequences

4:58am September 17, 2023

by Ron Elving

Previous instances of presidential impeachment have each had contexts unique to their own political moments. These considerations have mattered as much as the alleged "high crimes and misdemeanors."

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is working to contain a revolt by hard-line members of his party that could threaten his job as speaker and a potential government shutdown.

Politics & Government

As House Republicans bicker, the government shutdown threat grows

5:35pm September 14, 2023

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is working to contain a revolt by hard-line members of his party that could threaten his job as speaker and a potential government shutdown.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is working to convince members of his own party to support a stop-gap spending bill while also defending his job as speaker.

Politics & Government

McCarthy's plans for impeachment don't appear to be tamping down shutdown threat

3:22pm September 13, 2023

A group of hard-line House Republicans say House Speaker Kevin McCarthy cannot win their support on spending by launching an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.

Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., speaks at a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol on July 25.

Politics & Government

House and Senate on a collision course toward a government shutdown (again)

4:12pm July 28, 2023

by Susan Davis

Some House GOP hard-liners say Speaker Kevin McCarthy shouldn't rule out a shutdown to achieve spending cuts and social policy changes sought by the far right of his party.

Queue Listen Now

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters that allegations regarding President Biden's family rise to the level of an impeachment inquiry.

Politics & Government

McCarthy says info about Biden family 'rises to level of an impeachment inquiry'

5:17pm July 25, 2023

by Deirdre Walsh

The House speaker says Republicans may launch an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. House GOP members have been investigating allegations of financial misconduct related to his son, Hunter.

House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to members of the media after arriving at the U.S. Capitol on Friday.

Politics & Government

Biden says debt ceiling deal 'very close.' Here's why so far it remains elusive

11:36pm May 26, 2023

The Treasury estimates the country could default on its loans early next month. But negotiators are still hashing out key provisions like whether to expand work requirements for federal assistance.