A year in congressional chaos: The craziest moments from 2023
Congress, particularly the House of Representatives, has had a turbulent 2023.
From the start, members of Congress struggled to find common ground on a speaker of the House, setting the tone for a year filled with near-physical brawls and verbal spats over GOP leadership after Republicans won a narrow majority in the midterm elections last year.
Infighting, especially between the right-wing flank of the GOP and the more establishment wing, led to scowls, cries, screams and – at times – even spit.
The speaker of the House drama continued throughout the year, with the ultra-conservative faction of the House joining Democrats to oust Kevin McCarthy from the role, only to spend weeks trying to decide on another leader.
Ultimately, that dysfunction created massive delays in the legislative branch’s ability to actually legislate. According to The New York Times, only 27 laws were enacted throughout 724 votes.
What the year showed is how the conservative party is slowly being split due to extremism that has arisen in part thanks to former president Donald Trump.
As we reflect on the chaotic year, here are
