McCarthy Compiled a ‘Secret List’ of Possible Successors Should He Lose the Speakership

If Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) loses his speakership, the House of Representatives will turn to a “secret” list of about 10 people who could succeed him, according to CNN.

“When McCarthy became Speaker of the House, he gave the clerk a list of people: ‘If I’m never not Speaker of the House, these are the people to take my place,'” explained CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“Yes, a secret list,” agreed political director David Chalian. “My understanding, and in talking to some Hill aides, this was a rule in the House that became implemented in the aftermath of September 11th, the terrorist attacks, as part of a continuity of government kind of thing…it is a secret list that is handed over, I think it has 10 names on it, in order, as you just noted that would take on the role of speaker pro tem… and must be a member of the House of Representatives.”

Chalian continued, “I also don’t know, if you know you are on the list, or if it’s a secret to you as well, and it just becomes revealed, if indeed the Speaker’s chair is vacated here. And then the clerk opens up that list and gets notified.” He continued:

I think it is whenever the Speaker cannot fill the role, not just when vacated. It’s my reading of it, but I am not a parliamentarian. But what I will say is, there has been debate, and this I don’t think we have answers to, among House rules experts that I’ve been speaking with and trying to communicate all morning on this, as to how much power that Speaker pro tem would have. Would they be able to fulfill all of the responsibilities of speaker? Or as we expect, their only role here is to oversee the speaker’s election until somebody is elected speaker?

Watch the clip above via CNN.