In a historic move, GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy has been officially removed from the position of Speaker of the House through a Motion to Vacate. This makes McCarthy the first Speaker in American history to be removed in this manner. The motion, brought forward by Freedom Caucus Rep. Matt Gaetz, led to a vote that ultimately resulted in McCarthy’s dismissal. As a result, members of Congress now have the responsibility of electing a new speaker. However, the GOP establishment is already working to restore McCarthy to his former position.
The Motion to Vacate Kevin McCarthy’s speakership received support from eight Republicans and all Democrats. Several “conservative” members of Congress, including Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, and Thomas Massie, voted and spoke in favor of McCarthy. Throughout the day of the vote, the corporate press provided extensive coverage defending McCarthy. They echoed the GOP establishment’s talking points, accusing Gaetz and other McCarthy opponents of attempting to create chaos within the federal government by removing an unpopular speaker.
McCarthy’s tenure as speaker came to an end after he clashed with conservative members of the Freedom Caucus and a majority of GOP voters. Initially, McCarthy secured the position by making various promises and concessions to conservative “rebels” who opposed his appointment. However, he reneged on almost all of these commitments, leading to discontent among his colleagues.
Before the vote, Freedom Caucus Rep. Bob Good addressed Congress, expressing his intention to vote in favor of the Motion to Vacate. He emphasized the necessity of electing a speaker who does not relentlessly pursue the position and is genuinely committed to fighting for the country.
In response, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) appealed to Democrats, urging them to support McCarthy’s speakership. He acknowledged the complexity of their partisan, personal, and political calculations but cautioned against plunging the House and the country into chaos by vacating the speakership.
Gaetz, rising to speak shortly after Cole, noted that his colleagues who did not support McCarthy were being blamed for potentially causing chaos. Gaetz argued that McCarthy himself embodies chaos, as he cannot be trusted to keep his word. Gaetz claimed that McCarthy had made promises to various parties, including the White House, House Democrats, and conservatives within the Republican caucus, only to backtrack on them.
During the back-and-forth exchanges between McCarthy’s supporters and detractors, Gaetz received boos from the McCarthy crowd after criticizing members of Congress who had sold out to lobbyists.
Although McCarthy has been ousted as speaker, the GOP establishment is already plotting to reinstate him. Several representatives have indicated their intention to re-nominate and vote for McCarthy for speaker once again when the voting process commences.
This story is developing, and further updates will be provided by National File. Stay tuned for the latest information on the aftermath of McCarthy’s removal and the subsequent proceedings to elect a new speaker.
Source link
