Far-right Republican seeks to oust McCarthy after bill to avoid government shutdown

By AP 1 October 2023, 5:50 pm

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Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., confers with Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right, just after the House approved a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open, but the measure must first go to the Senate, at the Capitol in Washington, September 30, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rep. Matt Gaetz says he will try to remove US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, from his leadership position this week after McCarthy relied on Democratic support to pass legislation that avoided a government shutdown.

Gaetz, a longtime McCarthy nemesis, says McCarthy is in “brazen, material breach” of agreements he made with House Republicans in January when he ran for speaker. As a result, Gaetz says he will be filing a “motion to vacate the chair,” as House rules permit.

No speaker has ever been removed from office through such a move. Procedural votes could be offered to halt the motion or it could trigger a House floor vote on whether McCarthy, R-California, should remain speaker.

“I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid,” Gaetz, R-Florida, tells CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.”

McCarthy has the support of a large majority of House Republicans, but because the GOP holds such a slim majority, he may need votes from some Democrats to keep his job.