zNewsletter Sunday

Capito: House Leadership Vacuum Is Unacceptable

By Joselyn King 4 min read

WHEELING -- U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito called for continued U.S. funding for Ukraine, additional American assistance to Israel and a quick end to the House speaker's debacle as world events continue to happen.

Capito, R-W.Va., served as keynote speaker for the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce's annual "Lunch With Leaders" Tuesday at the White Palace in Wheeling.

"The House of Representatives, in my view, is a total mess," Capito said. "I don't understand for the life of me - especially when we have global events occurring -- that we don't have a speaker of the House. The speaker of the House is third in line for the president."

She added she never understood what the term "the tail wagging the dog meant," but she does now. She said this is "a small amount of people dictating what's going on in current events in our lifetime."

Two Republican House members -- Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana -- have announced their candidacies for the speaker's post, but Capito said there's a chance neither will get the job.

"They have to find a consensus candidate they can live with who is going to be strong enough to lead," she said.

"(Former Speaker) Kevin McCarthy is a good friend of mine and a great leader. But eight people joined with the other party and said we don't want him anymore. We want a plan. It just boggles my mind.

"As a Republican, it's tough. You've got the hands of leadership, and you can't lead. I hope they remedy this immediately because the world is calling us for leadership again, and again, and again. And we should be there. We should be the strong leader."

Americans and the rest of the world are watching, Capito noted.

"We've got to get back to good solid governing, and build confidence in people," she continued. "We need to hear a more positive message, and what we're getting out of Washington right now is not a positive message.

"We haven't finished our spending bills and our regular work, and this is where we need to go and get things back on track."

Once the speaker matter is resolved, Congress then must address funding for Ukraine's effort in defending itself against Russia, according to Capito.

"I think we should be funding Ukraine because we're fighting Putin, and his army is decaying every single day," she said. "We are not using our men and women to fight, but we are giving them (Ukrainians) a lot of money for weapons

"Any time we can degrade the Russian army and the Russian country is a good day for us. If we don't defeat them -- or at least hold them to a stand-off -- and Putin wins, he moves into NATO countries. No doubt about it."

Capito added not only is she very concerned about Ukraine, but she knows Israel is now going to need U.S. assistance in its war with Hamas.

"I'm standing with Israel -- I believe that to be true," she said. "I'm standing against terror, and I think as a country we know how horrible that feels. I've heard this latest occurrence being likened to our 9/11. There are heavy hearts in that country right now with that brutality that is going on.... It's going to be sad, tough and hard for them."

On a positive note, Capito recognized the large crowd attending the chamber dinner at the newly renovated White Palace and saw it as a chance for observational humor.

"I'm totally overwhelmed by the number of people I see," she said. "But as I drive through downtown Wheeling, I realize you're just fleeing the downtown streets (to get away from ongoing construction)."

She apologized to Mayor Glenn Elliott, who was in attendance.

Capito called her visit to Wheeling and the chamber luncheon "a true family experience." Accompanying her was her husband Charles, and her son Moore Capito -- an announced Republican candidate for West Virginia governor in 2024.

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