House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from office as a small number of fellow Republicans joined an effort launched by Democrats to oust the House leader in a 216-210 vote, US media reported on Tuesday. .
For the first time in its 234-year history, the House supported a resolution to “vacate the office of Speaker,” setting the stage for an unprecedented contest to replace Kevin McCarthy a year before the presidential election.
Representative Matt Gaetz called Kevin McCarthy a “creature of the swamp” after his expulsion.
“He came to power by collecting special interest money and then redistributing that money in exchange for favors,” Gaetz said Tuesday. “We are breaking the fever and we should elect a speaker who is better,” he said.
Republican Representative Patrick McHenry – a close ally of the ousted House leader – was named acting speaker from a list specified by McCarthy and shared with the House clerk.
Fellow party members Republicans voting to oust McCarthy were: Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale.
Members of both parties expect the temporary president to have the main responsibility of presiding over the election of a new president.
McCarthy’s eight fellow Republicans were inconsistent in their handling of fiscal issues as the ousted speaker averted a government shutdown on Saturday by placing a “clean” stopgap funding bill on the House floor. He did this with the help of Democrats.
According to The Hill, the move was a last resort for McCarthy, who had tried to pass the Grand Old Party (GOP) funding plan but was blocked by many fellow party members – including those who Who voted to remove him.
According to his colleagues, this step is also personal. Gaetz had been threatening to vote him out for weeks.
McCarthy had said that he would not join hands with the Democrats to save his post, but he intended to appeal to them by arguing that a successful motion to vacate the post would be bad for the institution of the House.
House Minority Leader Democrat Hakeem Jeffries sent a “Dear Colleague” note Tuesday saying Democratic leadership would support an effort to oust McCarthy after the party previously indicated they would not be able to protect the speaker from a rebellion within his own party.
Jeffries wrote, “House Democrats are willing to find common ground on an enlightened path forward. Unfortunately, our extreme Republican colleagues have shown no willingness to do the same.”
“It is now the responsibility of GOP members to end the House Republican civil war. Given his unwillingness to disengage from MAGA extremism in an authentic and comprehensive way, the House Democratic leadership voted yes on the pending Republican motion to vacate the Speaker. Will vote.”
