A little less than an hour ago, Axios’ Juliegrace Brufke broke news of a letter, purportedly from the “Gaetz Eight” Republicans who voted to oust ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, calling for the GOP House Majority to rally around embattled GOP speaker nominee Jim Jordan just minutes after Jordan lost his third round of voting this morning:
The 8 who ousted McCarthy say they are willing to accept “censure, suspension or removal from the conference” to get Jordan the gavel. pic.twitter.com/taAgLFvUXy
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) October 20, 2023
The major “news” in this letter would be that Colorado’s Rep. Ken Buck, who voted to oust McCarthy but since then has steadfastly refused to support Jordan’s bid for speaker, had caved and agreed to back Jordan–despite Jordan’s failure to meet Buck’s litmus test of admitting that the 2020 presidential election was not stolen from Donald Trump. This would not be an entirely unpredictable development after Buck appeared to flip on Steve Scalise’s abortive nomination without any concession on the issue.
But as it turns out, Ken Buck says he did not sign the letter attributed to him, and remains firmly opposed to Jordan:
REP. BUCK tells me : “I have not signed the letter. I’m not going to sign the letter. I am not in favor of electing Jim Jordan speaker.”
He said it was a “misunderstanding” because he “helped draft a letter during the last speaker vote.” https://t.co/1Pj2tpnWuw
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 20, 2023
The letter above lists the names of the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, but not their actual signatures–which was our second clue that something wasn’t right. The biggest problem with Buck signing on to a letter endorsing Jordan is of course the massive about-face it would represent for Buck. Buck’s high-profile opposition to Jordan ever since Jordan entered the chat makes it tough to imagine any sort of “misunderstanding” that would mistakenly place his name on this letter calling for the exact opposite of how Buck has been voting.
We can’t rule out that Buck just keeps changing his mind, because that’s what Buck does. But our best theory at this point? Matt Gaetz is one hell of a troll.
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At least Ken Buck is holding firm here, so far.
He received an eviction notice for his Windsor office, he has received 20,000 angry phone calls and multiple death threats. I guess his political swan song is giving the finger to MAGA world, and I like it. What a nasty bunch of people.
Good to know — Ken Buck can't be bullied, least of all from the likes of Matt Gaetz.
That's because he wears cowboy boots, not high heels.
Buck helped draft a letter he didn't want to sign? I must be misunderstanding something.
No, that's really peak Ken Buck
I think it was a letter he helped draft during a previous speaker vote, not the current vote, and it looks like the situation maybe has changed now. I know, small difference, but Ken Buck is refusing to let the inmates run the asylum, and it's all been a total clusterfuck. I just think the man deserves some credit, because people like Gym, Bobo, Gaetz, etc. are a serious existential threat to our country.
I would also add that Buck worked for Darth, whose daughter was unceremoniously kicked to the curb by MAGA. That has to figure in there somewhere as well.
Yes, Cheney Sr was ( and probably is still) Buck's friend and mentor – Buck was a fresh-faced intern helping Darth cover up Iran-Contra misdeeds back in the 80s. Cheney Sr was responsible for Buck getting started in politics.
So it isn't surprising that Buck didn't join in the Liz Cheney bashing.
Yep. I kind of feel about Ken Buck the way I feel about Mitt Romney. Couldn't stand either of them before but in today's political realm they seem fairly reasonable somehow.
THIS
He probably helped write the letter because the other seven are illiterate morons. Remember, behind that fake veneer of MAGA populist cowboy lies a well-educated preppie from the Hudson River Valley of New York.