>

Lmao. So NOW he cares about unauthorized subjects in the Speaker’s office?
As Gaetz's letter to the Architect argued, correctly:

[T]he 117th Congress adjourned sine die, and a Speaker from the 118th Congress has not been elected. After three undeciding votes, no member can lay claim to this office.  
What is the basis in law, House rule, or precedent to allow someone who has placed second in three successive speaker elections to occupy the Speaker of the House Office? How long will he remain there before he is considered a squatter?  
Please write back promptly as it seems Mr. McCarthy can no longer be considered Speaker-Designate following today's balloting.

It seems correct that the Speaker's office ought to be vacant for now and, if not, the person with the strongest claim to it is actually Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who's come in first in all three Speakership votes so far. >

This is one of the pettiest things I have ever seen in national politics. But, I am afraid to say it... Matt Gaetz is right. (I feel dirty) McCarthy is not Speaker and should not be in the office suite. Gaetz and his band of diehards better pray McCarthy does not become Speaker. I can only imagine the retribution. >


This is one of the pettiest things I have ever seen in national politics.

That was what I thought at first, too. But thinking about it some more, there's also a non-petty dimension to it. McCarthy's occupancy of the Speaker's office is (arguably) actively bolstering his Speakership campaign, by lending him an unearned aura of faux incumbency, institutional recognition and gravitas. When McCarthy summons Republicans to the Speaker's office to lobby them to vote for him, the office itself conveys a sense that McCarthy's victory is inevitable - that McCarthy is already Speaker in all but name. McCarthy would look much more vulnerable - much more challengeable - if he was operating out of any other office.
Companies spend $$$ for a "New York, NY," "San Francisco, CA," "London, UK" office address for a similar reason. The recognizable address conveys a sense of prestige and importance that, fairly or unfairly, a "Brisbane, CA" or "Yonkers, NY" address (for example) does not. >

You are absolutely right. And if you've ever set foot in that chamber it radiates power. From the incredible view to the weight of it's history. I'm calling it petty because if the AoC takes the letter seriously they will make McCarthy and his entire staff move. And if McCarthy wins the vote he'll have to move back. That is p e t t y. I love it. >

The imagery of the removals team taking the boxes back out of there after delivering them yesterday will be quite powerful too... >

This is funny seeing Republican infighting, but I just don't get the end goal. Do they think there is a serious chance they can win this speaker challenge? Maybe they just want national media attention or something. I just fail to see what the strategy could be. >

I don't think there is a grand political strategy here.
The ultra-MAGA Rs are motivated by grifting. And they've found that the best way to grift is to rile up the base by casting themselves in opposition to some powerful, insidious enemy, be it the "Deep State," Democrats, RINOs, liberals, immigrants, POC, China, or - now - Kevin McCarthy.
I honestly don't think they care either way who ends up in the Speaker's chair. They're not there to legislate or govern, after all. >


They're not there to legislate or govern, after all.

Pretty much this. When you frame it in the context of an ongoing purity test/war that the GOP hasn't stopped since 2010, it makes a lot of sense. And it's scary that there are apparently some who feel that McCarthy isn't obstructionist enough for their tastes.
The conservative sub is already calling McCarthy a RINO. I mean get that, with no sarcasm at all they're calling Me in McCarthy a RINO. >

Every one of these idiots thinks they're special and that the tiger they've hopped on won't eat them... Despite watching it gleefully consume the previous rider.
I've noted it before, but the American right has built a political movement that is actually an unstoppable doomsday device. And instead of trying to contain it or mitigate the damage it's doing, every incentive lines up behind firing it up even more and removing any and all safety features.