I spoke to Semafor about the hard-won agreement between leadership and House conservatives that enabled Kevin McCarthy to narrowly garner the votes to become Speaker.
POWERFUL COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
The most important tool in leadership’s arsenal is deciding which bills come to the floor and under what circumstances.
But in order to secure the speakership, McCarthy is said to have promised the House Freedom Caucus three seats on the all-important House Rules Committee, which makes those decisions, as well as what amendments can be offered and how long debates go on.
If true, that should be enough for them to veto plans by leadership unless Democrats step in.
“That’s the real juice here,” Liam Donovan, a Republican lobbyist and former National Republican Senatorial Committee staffer, told Semafor.
Read the full piece here.