White House ask House Republicans to "come clean" on McCarthy deals

[January 18, 2023]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House asked House Republicans on Tuesday to reveal details of concessions made by Representative Kevin McCarthy to far-right fellow Republicans in exchange for their support in his run for the top speaker position. 

U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said McCarthy promised a vote on a 23% national sales tax in exchange for support from some of the holdouts, as reported by media outlets.

McCarthy also supported abortion restrictions and allowed House Republicans to use the threat of a U.S. debt default to force President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats in Congress to agree to certain spending cuts, Bates said.

"House Republicans have yet to come clean with the American people about the secret agreements Kevin McCarthy made with the most MAGA members of their conference in order to end their leadership election debacle," Bates said in a statement, referring to Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement.

"An unprecedented tax hike on the middle class and a national abortion ban are just a glimpse of the secret, backroom deals" McCarthy made to win the speaker's gavel, he said.

Representatives for McCarthy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

McCarthy was elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 7 after making extensive concessions to right-wing members of his party that raised questions about the party's ability to govern.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)

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