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Can An Outsider Be Speaker of the House? (NBC News in 2015)
NBC News ^ | October 9, 2023 | Pete Williams

Posted on 01/05/2023 2:52:50 PM PST by PJ-Comix

As Republicans search for someone to succeed John Boehner as speaker of the House, some have suggested bringing in an outsider, such as former House speaker Newt Gingrich or Colin Powell, the former secretary of state and onetime chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

But does the speaker have to be a member of the House?

The Constitution is silent on that question, saying simply, "The House of Representatives shall chuse (sic) their Speaker and other Officers."

The Clerk of the House agrees with the office of the House Historian, which says the speaker "has always been (but is not required to be) a House Member."

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: congress; donaldtrump; speakerhouse
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Bottom line? Though it's inconceivable the framers would have elected an outsider to be speaker of the House, there's nothing to stop the House from doing it now.

I bet Pete Williams of NBC News now wishes he never wrote that but he is right. Of course, he never imagined Donald Trump as Speaker of the House.

1 posted on 01/05/2023 2:52:50 PM PST by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix

He Won’t “Budge an Inch to Conservatives…But We All Know He’ll Fold Like a Cheap Tent to the Democrats” – Catturd on Kevin McCarthy
1/5/2023, 2:03:59 PM · 20 of 54
algore to rovenstinez

Trump is interesting, but only because it has brought up the constitutional issue of who can be speaker.

Since we have opened this up (I am assuming only US citizens)

I can think of a few people who I would like to see.


2 posted on 01/05/2023 2:54:59 PM PST by algore
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To: PJ-Comix

I hate to ruin everyone’s dinner...but I would not put it past the Democrats and just 6 Republicans to elect Liz Cheney as the Speaker. That’s all it would take.

The more this goes on, the more likely an off the wall scenario like this becomes possible.


3 posted on 01/05/2023 3:00:23 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: Republican Wildcat

Yep. I bet she’d get most of the dems, and a good chunk of the reps.


4 posted on 01/05/2023 3:04:22 PM PST by PATed
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To: Republican Wildcat
6 Republicans to elect Liz Cheney

I don't think those 6 Republicans now exist. Remember almost all the GOP reps who voted for Trump's impeachment are now gone, gone, GONE!

5 posted on 01/05/2023 3:06:36 PM PST by PJ-Comix (Sam the Scam and the Cryptos )
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To: PJ-Comix

Trump ! Make liberal heads explode.


6 posted on 01/05/2023 3:12:22 PM PST by cquiggy
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To: PJ-Comix

If the speaker is indeed chosen from the outside, will said speaker be allowed to vote?


7 posted on 01/05/2023 3:13:42 PM PST by redshawk ( I want my red balloon. https://youtu.be/VexKSRKoWQY)
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To: algore

The Turd is always right


8 posted on 01/05/2023 3:14:10 PM PST by Nifster (OI see puppy dogs in the clouds )
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To: PJ-Comix

—he better check on Colin Powell’s availability—


9 posted on 01/05/2023 3:14:28 PM PST by rellimpank (--don't believe anything the media or government says about firearms or explosives--)
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To: PJ-Comix

Why stop at Speaker? The “other officers” of the House; Chaplain, Chief Administrative Officer, Clerk of the House, and Sergeant at Arms aren’t sitting Congressmen. Why should the Speaker be?


10 posted on 01/05/2023 3:18:19 PM PST by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: rellimpank

Colin Powell?

He still votes Democrat, so why not?


11 posted on 01/05/2023 3:22:52 PM PST by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: redshawk
If the speaker is indeed chosen from the outside, will said speaker be allowed to vote?

No.

12 posted on 01/05/2023 3:23:15 PM PST by PJ-Comix (Sam the Scam and the Cryptos )
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To: jjotto

Sergeant at Arms

\/

We have one of those ?

Why hasn’t he yanked that squatter kev who’s trespassing and thrown his usurping arse and all his crap out of the speakers office ?

Maybe he’s only private of the pinky.


13 posted on 01/05/2023 3:23:34 PM PST by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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To: redshawk

No, as when the Speaker votes, they are not voting as Speaker, but in their capacity as the Representative of their district.


14 posted on 01/05/2023 3:25:45 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: PJ-Comix

I don’t know...just getting 6 out of 223 is not a very tall order.

Don’t think a scheme like this is not being cooked up by the Democrats and they don’t have just 6 people in mind they could target on the GOP side to try to pull this off.


15 posted on 01/05/2023 3:28:02 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: PJ-Comix

I believe Colon Powell is unavailable.


16 posted on 01/05/2023 3:28:37 PM PST by POWG
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To: cuz1961

Private of the Pinkie.

I’m gonna borrow that.


17 posted on 01/05/2023 3:28:43 PM PST by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: POWG

Sorry my phone changed Colin to Colon.


18 posted on 01/05/2023 3:30:25 PM PST by POWG
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To: PJ-Comix

Can the Speaker refuse to swear in a new Representative?


19 posted on 01/05/2023 3:30:49 PM PST by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again," )
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To: PJ-Comix

Josh Hawley for Speaker!!!!


20 posted on 01/05/2023 3:39:12 PM PST by A Cyrenian (MO's state motto: Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law.)
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