BREAKING RANKS

‘Fed Up’ GOP House Rep Tells McCarthy He’s Got to Go

“I’m just fed up with the lies, I’m fed up with the lack of courage, the cowardice,” Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) fumed.

As House Speaker Kevin McCarthy draws conservative ire over his deal with the White House to raise the debt limit, the first GOP lawmaker has broken ranks to support of a possible motion to oust the speaker. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC)—one of the 20 representatives who initially refused to back McCarthy as speaker, leading to a 15-ballot election—told reporters on Tuesday that expelling McCarthy “has got to be done.” Although he has yet to promise to file an official motion to vacate the chair, Bishop said he would “decide that in conjunction with others.” Members of the House Freedom Caucus complained that the bill does not sufficiently cut back on spending or represent Republicans’ demands. “I’m just fed up with the lies, I’m fed up with the lack of courage, the cowardice,” Bishop said. “And I intend to see to it that there is somebody who’s prepared to say what needs to be done.” Bishop dodged a question about who could have negotiated the deal with President Joe Biden better but said “nobody in the Republican conference could have done a worse job.”