Timcast IRL · January 14, 2023 · 2h 0m
Timcast IRL #693 Matt Gaetz Joins, Discussing Biden Special Counsel and GOP Investigations
Episode Recap
Timcast IRL episode 693 features Congressman Matt Gaetz joining Tim Pool and co-hosts to discuss the historic House Speaker election where Kevin McCarthy lost 14 consecutive votes before finally winning on the 15th attempt. Gaetz explains his role as one of the approximately 20 Republican members who opposed McCarthy's leadership, detailing the three main categories of concessions they extracted: policy goals (specific bills and spending levels), procedural reforms (72-hour bill reading periods, open amendments, regular appropriations order), and personnel appointments (specific committee assignments, particularly on the Appropriations and Rules Committees). Gaetz defends the week-long process as necessary to reform what he describes as a "DC cartel system" where leadership positions are bought through redistribution of hundreds of millions of dollars in lobbyist money. He addresses critics who called the process chaotic, arguing that transparency was preferable to backroom deals that have historically disadvantaged both members and constituents.
TL;DR
- →Matt Gaetz joins Timcast IRL to explain his role in opposing Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker, costing McCarthy 14 votes before he won.
- →Gaetz reveals details of the 'shadow document' and three-bucket approach to concessions: policy, procedure, and personnel.
- →The group discusses Congressional reforms sought, including 72-hour bill reading periods and breaking up omnibus spending bills.
- →Gaetz explains why only about 20 members were willing to stand up to the leadership cartel and its fundraising system.
- →Co-hosts discuss the implications for Republican Party governance and future legislative battles.
- →The episode covers concerns about how bills thousands of pages long are voted on with as little as 48 hours notice.
Key Moments
- 0:00Opening and IntroductionsTim Pool introduces the show and welcomes Matt Gaetz, noting the historic Speaker vote that just concluded.
- 5:00Gaetz Explains the ProcessMatt Gaetz begins explaining his strategy and motivations for opposing McCarthy, describing the DC cartel system.
- 10:00Three Buckets of ConcessionsGaetz details the policy, procedural, and personnel concessions his coalition extracted from McCarthy.
- 15:00Defense of the ProcessGaetz addresses criticism that the week-long process was chaotic, defending it as necessary transparency.
- 20:00Why Others Didn't JoinDiscussion of why only 20 members were willing to oppose McCarthy and the political calculations involved.
Notable Quotes
“Behind closed doors is where the American people have been getting screwed.”
— Matt Gaetz · explaining why he conducted the leadership fight publicly on the House floor
“We wanted to send a shock to that DC cartel system and to say, no, guess what? There's going to have to be a different way you get there.”
— Matt Gaetz · describing the motivation behind opposing McCarthy
“How can we sit here and honestly say that bills that are thousands of pages long, that spend $1.7 trillion, and that you get 48 hours before having to cast a vote is really legislating?”
— Matt Gaetz · critiquing current Congressional procedures
“The youngest member of Congress was not yet born the last time the appropriations process went through regular order.”
— Matt Gaetz · explaining the need for procedural reforms in appropriations
“So I heard about this shadow document. Apparently you and several others cut some kind of deal or finally got McCarthy to cave in and give you guys something.”
— Tim Pool · opening the discussion about the concessions made