In a bold move, Florida’s Republican Representative, Matt Gaetz, initiated a bid on Monday to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his leadership position.
This comes after the swift Congressional passage of a continuing resolution last Saturday aimed at averting a government shutdown.
The resolution witnessed backing from both Democrats and a fraction of moderate Republicans but faced opposition from a conservative section of the GOP.
The crux of Gaetz’s disagreement lies in what he views as McCarthy’s breach of a prior agreement, according to a report from The Daily Caller.
This agreement had solidified McCarthy’s position as Speaker after a prolonged 15 rounds of voting in January.
Gaetz has alleged that McCarthy not only violated this understanding but also secretly collaborated with President Joe Biden to channel funds towards Ukraine’s defense against Russia, a move that Gaetz and some of his fellow Republicans staunchly oppose.
During Monday’s concluding votes, Gaetz declared, “Resolved, the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives is hereby declared to be vacant.”
The rules governing the 118th Congress, specifically House Resolution 5, grant the provision for even a single member to bring forth a “motion to vacate the chair.”
As a privileged motion, it will either proceed to a final vote within two days or be tabled by a majority vote of the entire House, thereby halting all future action on the motion.
Considering the House Republican Conference’s slender majority of just four seats, McCarthy is in a precarious situation.
He could lose his position if he faces opposition from more than five votes.
Adding to his woes, Rep. Eli Crane from Arizona has already expressed his support for McCarthy’s removal, Daily Caller notes.
Bob Good (VA) and Tim Burchett (TN) have also publicly declared they will vote to remove McCarthy.
Gaetz apparently has enough support under the GOP’s 222-213 majority in the House if all Democrats back the effort, according to Forbes.
The stakes are high, as McCarthy’s ouster would halt all activities in the House of Representatives until a new speaker is elected.
Currently, the Republicans don’t have a clear successor.
If Gaetz’s current motion faces tabling, he promises relentless efforts in the days to come.
As per a report by Politico, Gaetz asserted that the House will start each day with “the prayer, the pledge, and the motion to vacate.”
In a defiant response to Gaetz’s motion, McCarthy took to Twitter, declaring, “Bring it on.”
Speaker McCarthy will ask members to vote Tuesday afternoon on whether to remove him as speaker.
