Georgetown University's decision to invite former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to participate in an event titled "How Strong Is Our Democracy?" has sparked controversy and criticism, given McCarthy's history of supporting former President Donald Trump's false claims about the 2020 election and his involvement in efforts to overturn the results.
Scheduled for April 9, the event aims to explore the current state of democracy in the United States, particularly amidst concerns about its effectiveness and the erosion of trust in democratic institutions.
Georgetown's website describes the event as follows:
"With a majority of Americans expressing concern about how well democracy is working, and a growing erosion of trust in democratic institutions, just how strong is our democracy? Join us for a conversation with former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy on how Congress does (and doesn’t) work and whether our institutions can reunite a House divided."
News of McCarthy's involvement spread after Scott Wong, a senior congressional reporter for NBC News, brought attention to the event on X, formerly known as Twitter.
You can see his post and the event flyer below.
Georgetown University
The announcement of McCarthy's involvement has drawn backlash on social media, with many questioning the university's decision to include him.
Others pointed out the absurdity, offering comical suggestions for other speakers Georgetown could invite.
McCarthy's tenure as House Speaker has been marred by his alignment with Trump's baseless claims of voter fraud following President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.
He initially supported efforts to challenge the election results and only distanced himself from Trump after the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol—but nonetheless continued to parrot these talking points since.
McCarthy was also one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives to sign an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the election.
In March 2021, McCarthy denied endorsing Trump's unfounded allegations of election fraud, despite having backed Texas v. Pennsylvania. The Supreme Court had previously rejected the case, citing Texas's lack of standing under Article III of the Constitution to contest another state's election results.
Despite his controversial stance on the election, McCarthy remained a prominent figure within the Republican Party and led House Republicans through the 2022 elections, where they gained a slim majority. However, his leadership faced challenges, including a historic 15-ballot vote for the speakership in January 2023.
In September 2023, McCarthy turned to Democrats for assistance in passing a bipartisan continuing resolution to prevent a government shutdown. In response, Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz lodged a motion to vacate against McCarthy.
After a highly unusual House floor debate involving members of the majority party, McCarthy was ousted as speaker on October 3, 2023. His tenure marked the third-shortest in United States history for a Speaker of the House.
@jaketapoer/Bluesky
@BillAckman/Twitter