Gaetz files motion against McCarthy, Speaker welcomes challenge.
Rep. Matt Gaetz Takes Aim at Speaker McCarthy’s Political Downfall
One of the fiercest critics of Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy is eyeing his political downfall.
According to The Associated Press, Rep. Matt Gaetz filed a motion to vacate the Speaker’s position in the House of Representatives on Monday.
Today I’m filing a motion to vacate against @SpeakerMcCarthy. pic.twitter.com/voGdX1Ky67
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 2, 2023
The bid sets up a vote in which McCarthy’s leadership will hang in the balance of a simple majority of the House.
As The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, the next step is for Gaetz to request a vote on the resolution as a “privileged motion,” requiring a vote within two legislative days. However, such a vote could be delayed by other parliamentary tactics, such as a motion to table the issue or refer it to a committee, the Journal reported.
If the delaying tactics did not work, the vote on McCarthy’s leadership would come down to House Democrats, who could either vote to oust him, vote to keep him, or simply vote “present,” which would benefit McCarthy by reducing the number of votes he would need to have a majority of the House supporting him.
In a Sunday interview with “Face the Nation,” McCarthy had predicted that he would outlast Gaetz’s challenge to his leadership.
“Let’s get over with it,” he said.
“I’ll survive,” House @SpeakerMcCarthy says after Rep. Matt Gaetz said Sunday that he will introduce a motion to vacate McCarthy from his seat this week.
“Bring it on. Let’s get over with it.” pic.twitter.com/SnCVIHTN4f
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 1, 2023
As part of the deal to win the speaker post in January, McCarthy agreed to allow a single member of the House to file a motion to vacate, according to The New York Times.
The Republican leader offered the concession in a bid to navigate a hotly contested battle within his own party over his ascent.
The rarely used procedural tool has never been successfully used to remove a speaker of the House from office in congressional history.
Members of the House have only utilized it only twice since 1900, according to Ballotpedia, most recently in 2015 against then-House Speaker John Boehner, the Ohio Republican.
Boehner stepped down before an actual vote on the motion took place, a Washington Post report noted Monday.
The tactic has spurred backlash against Gaetz from members of the House Republican caucus who support McCarthy.
Some Republicans are considering expelling Gaetz from the House in response to his defiance of McCarthy, according to Fox News.
House Republican members seek to expel Matt Gaetz.https://t.co/T2YhT9TFDx
— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) October 2, 2023
The brash Florida Republican has claimed that the outcome of the vote could depend on House Democrats’ willingness to vote in favor of McCarthy, according to NBC News.
The post Gaetz Files Motion to Vacate Against McCarthy, Speaker Says ‘Bring It On’ appeared first on The Western Journal.
What is the process for removing the Speaker of the House through a motion to vacate?
Ave the power to remove the Speaker of the House through a motion to vacate, but it is a rare and drastic measure. Rep. Matt Gaetz, one of the most vocal critics of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has now taken aim at McCarthy’s leadership by filing a motion to vacate on Monday.
According to The Associated Press, Gaetz’s motion sets up a vote in which McCarthy’s leadership will be decided by a simple majority of the House. The next step for Gaetz is to request a vote on the resolution as a “privileged motion,” which would require a vote within two legislative days. However, there are parliamentary tactics that could delay the vote, such as a motion to table the issue or refer it to a committee.
If these delaying tactics do not work, the vote on McCarthy’s leadership would come down to House Democrats, who could either vote to oust him, vote to keep him, or choose to abstain. Abstaining from the vote would benefit McCarthy by reducing the number of votes he would need to secure a majority in his favor.
In a Sunday interview with “Face the Nation,” McCarthy expressed confidence in outlasting Gaetz’s challenge to his leadership. He stated, “I’ll survive. Bring it on. Let’s get over with it.” Despite McCarthy’s confidence, it remains to be seen how the vote will play out and what the outcome will be for his tenure as Speaker.
The motion to vacate is part of a deal McCarthy made to secure the speaker post in January. As part of this agreement, McCarthy agreed to allow a single member of the House to file a motion to vacate. This concession was made to navigate a contentious battle within the Republican Party over McCarthy’s ascent to the position.
While the motion to vacate is a powerful procedure, it has never successfully been used to remove a Speaker of the House from office in congressional history. It remains to be seen whether Gaetz’s motion will have enough support to make a significant impact on McCarthy’s leadership.
The outcome of this motion to vacate will have significant implications for the future of GOP leadership in the House. Gaetz’s challenge highlights the divisions within the party and the power struggles that have been ongoing. It remains to be seen whether this challenge will ultimately lead to McCarthy’s downfall or if he will emerge victorious and maintain his position as Speaker.
The motion to vacate and the subsequent vote will be closely watched by political observers and analysts, as it represents a significant moment in the ongoing battle for control and influence within the Republican Party. Whether Gaetz’s challenge succeeds or fails, it is clear that the Republican Party is facing a period of internal turmoil and uncertainty about its future leadership.
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