Multiple Republican members of the House have reported receiving death threats in connection to opposition they have lodged against the prospect of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) becoming Speaker. As of early Thursday, Jordan had failed in two rounds of voting on the floor regarding his bid for the role, but he was evidently pushing forward.
One of the opposing Republicans who said they were threatened, Iowa’s Mariannette Miller-Meeks, said she got law enforcement involved after facing death threats that she described as credible. “However, since my vote in support of Chairwoman Granger, I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls. The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully,” the Congresswoman said. “One thing I cannot stomach, or support is a bully. Someone who threatens another with bodily harm or tries to suppress differing opinions undermines opportunity for unity and regard for freedom of speech.”
Another Republican saying they faced threats was Rep. Vern Buchanan (Ga.). “Shortly after casting that vote, my family and I started receiving death-threats,” the Congressman said. He’d supported Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was originally the formal pick from Republicans for Speaker before withdrawing as he struggled to translate that status into the majority support he would need to actually win the role.
There was a plan temporarily the subject of especially intense discussion on Thursday to make Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) into an interim Speaker of the House, which would allow the legislative chamber to finally get moving again, but that idea also appeared to be going down amid furious opposition from figures like GOP Reps. Jim Banks (Ind.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.). The level of opposition from inside the GOP meant that making McHenry the interim Speaker would likely require votes from Democrats, who’ve been ready for various bipartisan solutions throughout this weeks-long ordeal — but Republicans, who have the majority, just keep returning to sticking with their increasingly out there partisans above a cross-party consensus.
Rep. Ferguson (R-Ga.), who switched his vote from Jordan to Scalise on second ballot, says in statement he’s also receiving death threats pic.twitter.com/w2lPnbWJrg
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 19, 2023
