On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted 208-218 on a motion to table Gaetz's resolution to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), setting the stage for a vote on whether he should remain in the top spot.
McCarthy moved quickly to bring up Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-Fla.) move to oust him. The Speaker could have brought up Gaetz's motion at any point within two legislative days after Gaetz filed the motion Monday evening.
Eleven Republicans voted against tabling a motion to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
- Rep. Ken Buck (Colo.)
- Rep. Eli Crane (Ariz.)
- Rep. Warren Davidson (Ohio)
- Rep. Bob Good (Va.)
- Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.)
- Rep. Victoria Spartz (Ind.)
- Rep. Tim Burchett (Tenn.)
- Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.)
- Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.)
- Rep. Matt Rosendale (Mont.)
- Rep. Cory Mills (Fla.)
A Speaker has never been ousted by a motion to vacate, potentially putting Congress in uncharted territory.
The Hill noted that the last time a motion to vacate was filed was in 2015 against Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), however, it never came up for a vote.
The only time the House has voted on whether to oust a Speaker was over 100 years ago in 1910, in an unsuccessful move against Speaker Joseph Cannon (R-Ill.).
As part of the list of concessions made during his battle for the Speaker's gavel in January only five Republicans need to side with Democrats to oust McCarthy.
Prior to Tuesday's vote, McCarthy indicated he would not make any deals with Democrats in exchange for their support to help save his Speakership and Democrats would not offer any lifelines.
“They haven't asked for anything. I'm not going to provide anything,” McCarthy said in an interview on CNBC's “Squawk Box.”
“Hakeem runs his conference,” McCarthy said of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). “He's going to have a conference, and everybody's going to talk about it, and I'm not going to put Hakeem in any position, and I respect whatever decision anybody makes.”
“Hakeem Jeffries and I have a good relationship,” McCarthy said. “That doesn't mean they're going to vote for me. I understand where the Democrats are. I'm not asking for any special deal or anything else.”
Over the weekend, the Florida Congressman told CNN's Jake Tapper that he planned to make good on his threats to oust McCarthy this week.
“I do intend to file a motion to vacate against Speaker McCarthy this week,” Gaetz (R-Fla) said. “I think we need to rip off the band aid. I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.”
“Speaker Mccarthy made an agreement with House conservatives in January, and since then he has been in brazen, repeated material breach of that agreement,” Gaetz said Sunday. “This agreement that he made with Democrats, to really blow past a lot of the spending guardrails we had set up, is a last straw.”
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Tuesday there is “no justification” to depart from the tradition of the House majority party choosing the Speaker.
“The Speaker of the House is chosen by the Majority Party,” Pelosi wrote in a post on X.
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Gaetz just declared himself and Democrat and a liar to those that thought they elected a Republican. I hate what this ignorant punk has done to America – he just gave an open checkbook to Biden and the destruction of our Constitution will follow. I find it hard to forgive him in my heart for what he has done to my country and the stinking future he has helped create for my grand daughter and her girls. May God forgive him because a lot of Americans never will.
We, the people, generally have to vote for politicians based on what they say they will do. And then have no recourse after an election and are stuck watching them break promise after promise after promise.
It’s quite refreshing to see a politician held accountable for not delivering on his promises. If McCarthy has failed to hold up his end of the bargain, then I see no problem in dumping him early and finding new leadership. This should be the way government is run. Either do your job, or be removed.
Kinda’ like Biden and Cackles – elected on false promises, and yet no one does a damned thing about them, even though they could. Those two jokers are going to be allowed to keep wrecking the country until the end of their terms. Politics as usual, in this case.
Outside of a few handfuls of Republicans, the American people REALLY need to clean house and senate alike Get rid of the do-nothing, all talk/no action hosers and start afresh.
And on a side note: I could care less what Nutzi Pelosi says or thinks. Her and Hillary should be sharing a cell together. Preferably in Guantanamo Bay.