Crenshaw apologizes to colleagues offended by 'terrorists' jab during speaker battle

Mike Letterman

Jan 9, 2023, 10:55 AM
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Dan Crenshaw speaks to media. — Rep. Dan Crenshaw speaks to media on Capitol Hill on the opening day of the 118th Congress. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

The Texas Republican apologized to his House colleagues if they were offended by his rhetoric during the speakership fight.

I apologize to my coworkers if they were offended by it. I don't want them to think I'm a terrorist. "It's clearly a turn of phrase that you use when you're in a negotiation," he said.

"That's where the heartburn is"
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) responds to the tension surrounding Kevin McCarthy during a chaotic week of House speaker votes and whether Republicans learned something from it. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/EsRugfV7tf

CNN published a story on January 8, 2023.

A number of fiery criticisms of the far-right GOP holdouts who forced significant concessions from the Republican leader by refusing to back him in vote after embarrassing vote was made by an outspoken supporter of the Speaker. McCarthy secured the speakership in the middle of the night on Saturday.

During the weeklong series of votes, Crenshaw compared the holdouts to terrorists, and called them enemies. He said that we cannot allow the terrorists to win.

Tucker Carlson called Crenshaw the "s snarling face of the donor class" of the Republican Party after he criticized him.

Crenshaw responded on the social networking site. He said to unclutch your pearls. "Make your skin bigger."

Richard Hudson pulls Mike Rogers back as they talk with Matt Gaetz. — Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., left, pulls Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., back as they talk with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Over the past week, the back-and-forth was just one part of the GOP maelstrom. Rogers had to be restrained when he confronted Gaetz on the floor.

The congressman said on CNN that the raw emotions helped open the negotiations.

Roy, one of the GOP holdouts who repeatedly voted against McCarthy before supporting him, said a little temporary conflict is necessary in order to stop the town from rolling over the Americans. When we saw some of the interactions between Mike Rogers and Matt Gaetz, we need a bit of that.

Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said on Fox News that he would argue that the founding fathers intended democracy to be messy.

As a divided Congress navigates high-stakes negotiations over the debt limit, spending bills and more, that conflict could be an indicator of battles to come. More bridges will need to be mended on the Republican side as McCarthy's right flank exerts new influence.

The things get heated. He said on CNN that things get said. It's clear to the people who took offense that it's a turn of phrase. It's in the middle of negotiations.

I have a lot of thick skin. I was taken aback by the sensitivity of it, because I get called vile things by the same wing that I'm fighting.