Yes, in the 2008 elections, the GOP got a 1-seat majority in the House (50-49). The caucus elected Jason Mumpower, the sitting party leader, as the Speaker-designate. As they were calling the roll, they got to one Kent Williams, a creepy sophomore RINO from East TN who had beaten a Conservative Eurasian Republican. Williams voted for himself and outgoing Democrat Speaker, Boss Hogg Naifeh, directed the entire Democrat caucus to vote for him, and the Dems stole the chamber by 1 vote and “Speaker” Williams turned around and created the new position of “Speaker Emeritus” and the 49+turncoat “elected” Naifeh to the position, from which Naifeh could continue to run the body through his puppet.
A month later, the GOP convened a special meeting and formally kicked Williams out of the party where he continued to serve as an “Independent.” The GOP increased its numbers in 2010 and deposed the Puppet Speaker. Unfortunately, Williams was replaced by a RINO Country-Clubber named Beth Harwell (who refused to endorse Trump), and she’s been running the body as ruthlessly as Boss Naifeh. She was just reelected in-caucus by a very narrow margin the other day.
I remember the Williams thing of course, but the not the part about him voting last.
Did Boss Hogg arrange that not knowing whether Williams would go for it or not?
” RINO Country-Clubber named Beth Harwell “
But but the 17th amendment has got to go!
A shame Mumpower retired in 2010.