Corrected 12:23 p.m. | House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday did not commit to helping Speaker Kevin McCarthy keep his gavel as his Democratic colleagues described Republicans as engaged in a “civil war” they must end.
The New York Democrat spoke to reporters following a lengthy House Democratic conference meeting in which, members said, there was near-unanimity on not providing the votes to help McCarthy defeat a motion to vacate the speakership that is expected to come to a floor vote around 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Democrats emerged from their huddle to say McCarthy, as Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota put it, “made a deal with the devil” by empowering his right flank — which now wants to oust him.
“Democrats are going to continue to put people over politics and to fight to make life better for everyday Americans. From the very beginning, that has been our objective. And it will continue to be our sole focus, delivering for the American people,” Jeffries said before appearing to float an olive branch to rank-and-file GOP members — though a vague one.
