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Congressman Pappas on the failure of the GOP to choose a Speaker, “If it comes down to it, I hope that Democrats can work with Republicans to come up with some sort of unity candidate, so we can break this logjam. The longer this waits, the more the important work and the important business stays on the side, and we get nothing done.”
In an interview with WGIR’s Chris Ryan, the Representative from New Hampshire’s First Congressional District, Chris Pappas, discusses the situation in Congress as the Republican caucus has been unable to choose a Speaker of the House of Representatives; suggests that moderate Democrats and moderate Republicans might choose a person acceptable to both sides, who is not necessarily a member of Congress, to serve as Speaker; and weighs in on Representative George Santos, the controversial, recently elected congressman from New York, who made numerous false statements about his background.
Congressman Pappas is a Democrat, who was reelected in November, and he is frustrated by the delayed start to the new session of Congress. No work can begin until a Speaker of the House of Representatives is chosen.
So far, Kevin McCarthy has not been able to gain 218 votes despite the Republicans controlling 222 seats in the 118th Congress. About 20 Conservative Republican representatives from the Freedom Caucus refuse to vote for McCarthy.
Meanwhile, the Democrats, including Chris Pappas, have presented a very united front, and have consistently given all of their 212 votes for Hakeem Jeffries.
Congressman Pappas doesn’t see a path for McCarthy to achieve the required votes and feels that the Republicans will need to find another candidate for Speaker. Chris Pappas sees a possibility that moderate Democrats and Republicans might agree on a respected person.
“If it comes down to it, I hope that Democrats can work with Republicans to come up with some sort of unity candidate, so we can break this logjam. The longer this waits, the more the important work and the important business stays on the side and we get nothing done.”
However, the Congressman could not see himself voting in such a way that Kevin McCarthy or a conservative Republican, like a member of the Freedom Caucus; but Pappas could possibly consider voting for a moderate Republican for Speaker.
In the final segment of the interview, Congressman Pappas stated his objections to the seating of the newly elected Representative from New York, George Santos, who has been the subject of national attention for blatantly lying about his background during his election campaign.
“I have called for him (Santos) not to be seated. I believe that the voters of that district deserve another choice to elect someone who has high ethical standards. I think that he debases the entire institution of Congress if he is allowed to become a member of Congress.”
In addition, Congressman Pappas calls for the House Ethics Committee and outside agencies to investigate George Santos.