Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) blasted Republican members of Congress for rejecting House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) as speaker.
Scalise was initially the party’s nomination for speaker of the House but has since been replaced by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) as their nominee. The Louisiana representative was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a relatively uncommon but treatable blood cancer, per his announcement in August. This diagnosis was cited as a reason to remove him from the running.
REPUBLICAN SAYS GOP BICKERING OVER NEXT SPEAKER MAKES ‘US LOOK LIKE A BUNCH OF IDIOTS’
When I came down with cancer, my Caucus colleagues rallied around to support me as Ranking Dem on Oversight. I’m dumbfounded that GOP Members (& Trump!) used Steve Scalise’s cancer as a reason to abandon him on the House floor—after nominating him for the job!
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) October 13, 2023
“I’m dumbfounded that GOP Members (& Trump!) used Steve Scalise’s cancer as a reason to abandon him on the House floor—after nominating him for the job!” Raskin wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Raskin himself was diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma late last year. By April, his cancer was in remission.
“When I came down with cancer, my Caucus colleagues rallied around to support me as Ranking Dem on Oversight,” Raskin wrote.
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Scalise announced he was withdrawing his name on Thursday when it was clear he didn’t have the votes necessary to win the position, which would require 217. He will remain the House majority leader.
The House has adjourned for the weekend, meaning an actual vote for speaker won’t happen until next week. It has been 10 days since eight Republicans, along with every Democratic member, voted to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from the position after over nine months.
