WASHINGTON, D.C. — John Leganski released the book "Glory, Grief and the Gavel," which details the election of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House and his subsequent removal. McCarthy was elected the 55th Speaker of the House in January 2023 after 15 rounds of voting.

McCarthy's election included an agreement to lower the threshold for a motion to vacate, allowing a single member to initiate the process. This agreement was made to secure the necessary votes for his speakership. McCarthy was later removed from the position via a motion to vacate, filed by former Representative Matt Gaetz.

Leganski, who served as a top floor staffer for McCarthy during his tenure as Speaker, used journal entries to assist in writing his book. He began working in McCarthy's office as an intern in 2012. Leganski showed a draft of his book to McCarthy before its publication.

"This is the first time this has happened in a century. There's nobody alive the last time this was around for us to talk to," Leganski said. Mike Johnson was elected Speaker of the House in October 2023 following McCarthy's removal.

Leganski stated he would not run for Congress. "I certainly was not going to put this out in the world if he did not bless it," he said. "We have lots of books about campaigns for president. We don't really have many, if any, about what it takes to become speaker of the House." He added, "If we want a strong Article One, we should have a strong speakership. And so I hope people moving forward realize the gravity of that and are going to be reluctant to go down that path again." Leganski also said, "Do right by your boss, do the best job you can. You give them the best advice, the best counsel you can, and then they make the play call … and then you go out and execute it. That, I think, is a tried and true way to move up in government."