House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is the highest-ranking Republican on paper.
And although the California congressman holds the gavel, he doesn’t hold much power, Axios reports, noting that in today’s GOP, it’s former President Donald Trump who’s calling the shots.
In an article that run under the headline “The House GOP's shadow speaker,” Axios’ Zachary Basu and Andrew Solender contend that “Trump — now a criminal defendant — has consolidated control over the House GOP, scrambling the majority's agenda and cementing his status as the true power behind the gavel.”
With little margin for error after securing the speakership earlier this year on the 15th ballot, McCarthy faces a delicate balancing act, fearful of alienating moderates on one hand, and perhaps more fearful of antagonizing the party’s far-right members, a scenario that Esquire magazine accurately predicted earlier this year in an article that said he could be the nation’s first “SINO” (speaker in name only).
That’s left a void that Trump has filled, Axios reports, noting his call on Wednesday to “defund” the Justice Department and the FBI while the agencies are investigating him. Trump’s grip on the GOP figures to be a factor in budget negotiations too.
McCarthy has joined the right flank of his party in condemning Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who on Tuesday charged the former president with 34 felony counts over alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
“Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, admittedly using federal funds, while at the same time arguing that the peoples’ representatives in Congress lack jurisdiction to investigate this farce,” McCarthy tweeted.
“Not so. Bragg’s weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress.”
But under McCarthy’s leadership, Republicans have not coordinated talking points in response to the charges.
“One Republican stressed to Axios that they believe McCarthy has intentionally kept silent to avoid putting vulnerable members in a tough spot,” Axios reports.
“That messaging vacuum has been filled by Trump and his top aides.”
