Rep. Gaetz to file motion to vacate, implications for Speaker McCarthy.
Rep. Matt Gaetz to File Motion to Oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has announced his intention to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), sparking another internal battle within the party.
During a House floor speech on Oct. 2, Gaetz boldly claimed that President Joe Biden has been taking McCarthy’s “lunch money.”
Gaetz, a member of Congress since 2017, told CNN on Oct. 1, just a day after the United States avoided a government shutdown, that his decision was motivated by the 45-day continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government.
“Speaker McCarthy made an agreement with House conservatives in January,” Gaetz revealed.
“And since then, he has repeatedly violated that agreement in a brazen manner. This agreement he made with Democrats to bypass spending limits is the last straw.”
Gaetz also alleged, “Overnight I learned that Kevin McCarthy had a secret deal with Democrats on Ukraine.”
“So as he was baiting Republicans to vote for a continuing resolution without Ukraine money, saying that we were going to jam the Senate on Ukraine, he then turns around and makes a secret deal.”
‘Yellow Brick Road’
During his House floor speech decrying the excessive spending, Gaetz denounced what he called a “yellow brick road paved by Speaker McCarthy.”
On Sept. 29, the House failed to pass a CR as 21 Republicans, including Gaetz, joined Democrats in rejecting a one-month funding bill that included border security measures.
The 165-page bill, known as the “Continuing Appropriations and Border Security Enhancement Act, 2024,” was released on Sept. 29 and aimed to reduce funding by nearly 8.13 percent across 12 appropriations. The total spending would have amounted to $1.59 trillion, with the bill running through Oct. 31.
The appropriations affected were Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Department of Defense; Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act; Department of Homeland Security; Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies; legislative branch; Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies; Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.
The only exceptions to the 8.13 percent cut would be the Defense Department, Veterans Affairs Department, and disaster relief.
The bill also included border security measures such as resuming border wall construction, which President Biden halted on his first day in office as a rejection of former President Donald Trump’s strict border and immigration policies.
The CR did not allocate funding for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.
On Sept. 28, 117 Republicans voted against Ukraine aid, while 101 Republicans joined all 210 Democrats in passing a bill that would provide $300 million in assistance to the Eastern European country.
During his appearance on ”State of the Union,” Gaetz confirmed his intention.
“I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,” he stated. ”I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid. I think we need new leadership that can be trusted.”
Gaetz criticized McCarthy for his inconsistent stance on issues and accused him of breaking promises.
“Look, the one thing everybody has in common is that nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy. He lied to Biden. He lied to House conservatives. He had appropriators marking to a different number altogether,” Gaetz asserted.
“And the reason we were backed up against shutdown politics is not a bug of the system, it’s a feature,” Gaetz added.
On CBS’s “Face the Nation,” McCarthy responded to Gaetz, saying, “Game on.”
‘I’ll Survive’
McCarthy stated that Gaetz’s desire to take the gavel out of his hands is “nothing new” and that Gaetz has been attempting to do so since McCarthy became speaker in January. McCarthy won the position after 15 rounds of voting and numerous concessions to the hardline Freedom Caucus, including lowering the threshold for filing a motion to vacate to just one member.
“I’ll survive. You know, this is personal with Matt,” McCarthy declared. “Matt voted against the most conservative ability to protect our border, secure our border.
“He’s more interested in securing TV interviews than taking action. He wanted to push us into a shutdown, even threatening his own district with all the military people there who would not be paid only because he wants to make this motion.
“So be it. Bring it on. Let’s get it over with. Let’s start governing again.”
“Retreat is never a strategy to win anything,” Gaetz emphasized in his House floor speech.
It remains to be seen if House Democrats will come to McCarthy’s defense. One possible scenario, among many speculations, is that McCarthy will support the $24 billion supplemental Ukraine assistance requested by the Biden administration. Additionally, Democrats may not want to be seen aligning with Gaetz, although they could choose to vote “present.”
Following Gaetz’s speech, Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) warned that a motion to vacate would “derail” the appropriations process and the impeachment inquiry of President Biden.
As for when Gaetz will officially file the motion to vacate, as he teased in his speech, we’ll have to “stay tuned.”
How does Gaetz argue that McCarthy’s agreement with House conservatives goes against Republican values?
Straw for me. It goes against everything the Republican Party stands for.”
Gaetz’s decision to file a motion to oust McCarthy as House Speaker comes amidst disagreements within the party regarding the recent 45-day continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government. The CR, which was passed to avoid a government shutdown, has been a source of contention among Republicans, with some viewing it as a compromise that goes against their conservative principles.
In his speech on the House floor, Gaetz accused President Joe Biden of taking McCarthy’s “lunch money” and criticized McCarthy for making an agreement with House conservatives that he claims has been repeatedly violated. Gaetz argues that this agreement, which allowed Democrats to bypass spending limits, is a betrayal of Republican values.
The internal battle within the GOP reflects the broader divisions within the party, particularly between establishment Republicans and more conservative members. Gaetz’s move to remove McCarthy as House Speaker is seen by some as a power play by the conservative faction to assert their influence and push for greater adherence to party principles.
However, this latest confrontation is not without controversy. Ousting McCarthy as House Speaker could potentially undermine party unity and further fracture the Republican Party. It remains to be seen how the party leadership, and Republican members as a whole, will respond to Gaetz’s motion.
In response to Gaetz’s announcement, McCarthy’s office issued a statement reaffirming McCarthy’s commitment to the Republican Party and his dedication to advancing conservative policies. McCarthy’s supporters argue that his leadership has been instrumental in passing key legislation and achieving Republican goals.
The outcome of this internal battle will have implications for the future of the Republican Party, particularly as it seeks to regain control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming midterm elections. The party’s ability to unite and rally around a common agenda will be crucial in winning back support from voters and effectively countering the policies of the Biden administration.
As the motion to oust McCarthy unfolds, it is evident that the Republican Party is at a crossroads. The outcome of this internal struggle will shape the direction of the party and determine its ability to effectively challenge the policies of the Democratic Party.
Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: the Republican Party is facing significant challenges as it seeks to define its identity and develop a cohesive strategy to advance its agenda. The internal divisions and power struggles within the party will continue to shape its future and impact the broader political landscape.
As Republicans wrestle with these challenges, the question remains: Can the party find common ground and unite behind a shared vision, or will the internal divisions prove insurmountable?
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