Rep.-elect Maxine Waters, D-Calif., appeared to get in a shouting match with Republicans on the House floor during the ninth round of voting to elect a speaker on Thursday.
‘This is my 9th vote for Hakeem Jefferies,’ Waters stood up and said when it was her turn to vote before turning and pointing to a group of Republicans behind her. ‘Matt Rosendale, get it together.’
Waters continued speaking but was drowned out by several Republicans shouting, ‘Order!’
About an hour before the exchange, Rep.-elect Matt Rosendale, R-Mt., named Waters while speaking on the floor.
‘Last summer we began to negotiate, a group of us in good faith, a list of changes, amendments, to the rules of this body. Not to empower ourselves, not to bring personal benefit to ourselves, but to empower you and you and you, Maxine, and you, and you, and everyone sitting in this chamber equally,’ Rosendale said before
‘There’s no rules, I did not use anyone’s name… Excuse me, Maxine.’
Rosendale is one of 20 Republicans who have voted against GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy for House speaker through 11 rounds of balloting over three days. With the GOP’s slim majority, McCarthy can only lose four members of his caucus.
Republicans cannot pass a rules package, consider legislation, or begin oversight of the Biden administration until they agree on a speaker.
Democrats have voted in lockstep for Rep.-elect Hakeem Jefferies, D-N.Y., to be the next House speaker.
The House voted to adjourn until noon on Friday.