McCarthy Makes a Last-Minute Deal to Save the House Speaker

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy He is offering a last-minute offer to conservative holdouts and seal the deal for the speakership. 

In exchange for his elevation to the position, the embattled California Republican has offered a change in congressional rules that would make it easier for a House speaker to be removed. McCarthy’s offer would lower threshold to allow a motion to vacate the chair — a parliamentary gambit that forces a vote on retaining the speaker. 

Because of a rule change that was pushed through by the Democratic Speaker, it is currently shaky Nancy PelosiOnly the House leadership may propose a motion for vacate. Conservative House Republicans want to repeal that standard, which allows any member to vote on the speaker at will. 

“Every member of Congress was elected to legislate on behalf of their constituents,” Rep. Andy Biggs from Arizona, who is running against McCarthy to be speaker, said: “To do that, members must be able to hold their own leadership accountable.”

SEVEN MORE HOUSE REPUBLICANS THREATEN TO OPPOSE MCCARTHY WITHOUT CONCESSIONS ON HOUSE RULES

Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Minority leader, and Republican members criticize President Joe Biden during a press conference at the Capitol, Washington, Tuesday, August 31, 2021.
(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Hard-line Republicans see allowing members to make a motion for the removal of the chair as an insurance policy. McCarthy, once given the speaker’s podium, is likely to resist any threat of a partial shutdown to force President Biden into concessions.

“While difficult in practice, it is an important mechanism to restore trust and provide accountability,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). 

ANDY BIGGS TO CHALLENGE KEVIN MCCARTHY FOR SPEAKER ON HOUSE FLOOR

McCarthy can’t afford to ignore these demands, given that the House GOP majority has only 222 seats. Officially, 218 votes will be required to secure the Speakership at the House Floor on January 3, assuming that everyone is present. McCarthy has already received five no votes public from Republicans. 

“Every member of Congress was elected to legislate on behalf of their constituents,” Rep. Andy Biggs from Arizona, who is running against McCarthy to be speaker, said: “To do that, members must be able to hold their own leadership accountable.”
(Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Between 1910 and 2015, motions to vacate the chair only twice were made. The first time, Democrats failed to remove GOP Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon because he was a ruler with what many believed to be an iron fist. The vote failed because Republicans refused to stand by their leader.

In July 2015, Mark Meadows, the Chairman of Freedom Caucus North Carolina threatened to rescind his threat. Meadows tried to force a vote regarding Republican Speaker John Boehner’s decision not to allow him to be removed from the House Oversight Committee due to his voting against a Trade Bill.

Boehner’s close aides in leadership prevented the motion from being sent directly to the floor. Instead, it was sent to the House Rules Committee for review. After conservatives had indicated that they would not abandon the issue, Boehner quit three months later.

2015 saw the Freedom Caucus attempt to expel Speaker John Boehner by using a motion that would have the chair removed. (AP Photo/Michael A. McCoy)

McCarthy attempted to run for speaker in the wake of Boehner’s resignation but was stopped by the Freedom Caucus. The nearly two-dozen-member group, which was dominated by Republicans, had the power to veto because they held only a small majority.

Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican and Boehner’s successor, agreed to run for the top position after receiving a promise from Freedom Caucus that it wouldn’t try to oust him the same way.

Pelosi (D-Calif.) changed the rule after Democrats retook control of the House in 2019.

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“The House can’t function if anyone can take the entire chamber hostage at any point over a petty disagreement with the speaker,” A Republican congressional aide said so.  

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